A Place in This World
by Chibi Horsewoman
Summary: This story is currently in the process of being re-written and is under the title Brick By Boring Brick.
1. Prolog: Last Good bye

**A Place in This World (1)**

**Summary:**** Flora and Helia had a girl named Felicity then they had a major falling out. Fearing for their friend's safety as well as that of her daughter, the other Winx girls manage to transport Flora and Felicity to Earth where they will live for the next fifteen years. For that period of time Flora and her daughter go on as normal people with no thoughts of magic. Then one day it all changes with the accidental visit from the daughter of an old friend and the possession of one of the three keys to unlocking a hidden power.**

**Disclaimer:****I've made it this far without cryin' a single tear and I'd sure hate to break down here.**

Flora looked around anxiously as she waited for Stella and Layla to arrive. The floral fairy had somehow managed to sneak out of the house with her daughter without rousing Helia from his drug and alcohol induced slumber. But she knew from experience that there wasn't much time and her husband wouldn't be passed out for long.

Spotting the headlights of an oncoming vehicle Flora instinctively tensed and tried to hide Felicity's sleeping form behind her slim body. As the vehicle drew closer Flora's panic began to subside and she breathed a sigh of relief as Stella emerged from the car with Layla behind her.

"You weren't followed were you?" Flora asked walking up to her long time friends with Felicity securely in her arms. The infant just snuggled closer to her mother's body as the other two women approached.

"No, we had Nabu set up a security barrier to make sure of it." Layla assured the frightened woman.

"Are you sure you won't take Layla or Musa up on their offers?" Stella asked hopefully even though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't want to put anyone in danger. Bloom was right Earth is the safest place for me and for Felicity. Helia won't think of following me there." Flora assured the blonde woman wishing she felt as confident as she sounded. "It'll be good to make a fresh start."

"Very well." Stella almost sounded like she was pouting. "Now hold still while I get this portal set up."

"We'll miss you Flora." Layla called as Stella began the incantation.

"I'll miss you too." Flora sobbed out as she embraced the two women who were making her escape finally possible.

"Don't forget us." Stella added

Flora nodded and tried to smile through her tears. Then with Felicity securely in her arms, she stepped through the portal, with Layla keeping an eye out for possible intruders and watched the world she'd known all her life slowly fade away.

_**And when I leave this world, I leave with no regrets.**_

**So there you have it, the prolog to my newest story. This is a completely different second-generation fic than the one I have up with Rogue Scholar. Yes, Flora and Helia's daughter's name is still Felicity. But other than that nothing's the same. But I hope you all liked it. The first chapter should be up shortly.**

**1.) Track from Taylor Swift's debut album**


	2. Fortune Teller's Melody

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer: You can run all your life, and not get anywhere (1)**

**Chapter One: Fortune Teller's Melody (2) **

_**Earth fifteen years later** _

Sixteen-year-old Felicity DiFiore had been sleeping peacefully after a long night of writing her opening thesis for her AP biology class. The brunette had been planning on lazing around until noon, but her mother had other plans.

"Lissie wake up." Flora ordered, shaking her daughter none too gently.

"Five more minutes." Lissie begged, squinting her grey eyes against the bright morning sunlight.

"No can do." Flora replied. "Because five becomes ten. Then twenty. And you're services are needed down at the shop."

Lissie groaned, the shop that her mother was talking about was a popular flower shop owned by a mysterious old friend's mother. Flora usually worked there part-time with the woman whose name was Vanessa (3) when she wasn't busy with her job as an AP biology teacher at the high school. To be honest Felicity didn't mind working there, but she'd been up all night working and felt entitled to a little rest. Unfortunately it never paid off to argue with he mom, Lissie just had to reason that it would be extra money.

"Half a day." The younger brunette started bargaining, but Flora cut her off.

"You should be done by noon at the latest. Vanessa just needs help labeling some new stock then you can go."

Lissie nodded then commenced to getting ready for the day, this included brushing her teeth while pulling on a pair of red and white track pants from her school's cross country team and pulling on the t-shirt from the same team while slipping her feet into a pair of sneakers.

"Don't forget to grab your breakfast!" Flora called as Lissie leapt down the stairs with the bag containing her laptop slung over her shoulder. "I'll see you later!"

Lissie arrived at the shop and went straight to work with labeling, armed with a small field guide and her AP project she had most of the plants labeled and put away before eleven.

"Thanks Lis, you've been a big help." Vanessa chirped as she came up behind the girl in the green house.

"Why don't you just order from a supplier that includes the labels?" Felicity asked standing and wiping excess dirt and other leavings off of her pants.

"Cost." The older woman answered cheerfully as she handed the teenager a few bills.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Why save time when you can save money?" Felicity was about to take her earnings and go to the park for some quiet time and typing when Vanessa stopped her again.

"Wait, Lissie. Your mom said that it's your birthday later this week."

"Uh yeah."

"Well, I just wanted to give you this." Vanessa handed Felicity a long narrow box wrapped in shimmering pink paper.

Felicity took the package and opened it to reveal a silver chain with a deep emerald stone hanging from it. It was pretty, and a thoughtful gesture, but Felicity didn't wear jewelry. Even so, it was nice of Vanessa to think of her birthday. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now get going."

Felicity didn't need to be told twice, while tucking the necklace into her pocket she bolted out the door, got on her bike and pedaled over to the park in hopes of finally obtaining some down time; too bad fate had other plans for the green-eyed teen.

Half an hour after settling into a good book, Felicity's tranquility was disturbed when she caught sight of a bright light coming through the trees and the crash that followed. Seeing that the sun was still shining and there were no clouds to speak of, the brunette closed her book and went off to investigate. When she reached the clearing where the noise was coming from, Lissie had to grab a tree branch to keep from falling because there in the clearing was a petite red haired girl fending off three small red creatures with a shimmering blue broadsword.

"Hey! Get off of me!" the girl shouted swinging the sword and knocking the creatures off, one of the assailants disintegrated on contact, but there were four more to take its place. But the girl was undaunted. "So that's how you want to play?" She asked, forming a small orange fireball in one hand, "Dragon flare."

Lissie gasped in shock, it seemed that the sword wasn't the girl's only weapon. Rubbing her eyes, Lissie tried to logically explain to herself what she saw. "This is either a movie set, or pre-cal is _finally_ getting to me." She reasoned as one of the creatures flew at her head. Going purely on instinct, Felicity raised her hands in front of her face and in doing so released a stream of pollen at the monster knocking it out.

"Wow! How did you do that?" the redhead asked, staring at Lissie with a look of awe in her large blue eyes. One of the creatures, taking advantage of the fact that the red head was distracted, lunged and knocked her down causing her to drop her sword.

"Good work." A tall-ish young man, at least that's what Felicity thought he was, it was dim in the wooded area, exclaimed picking up the sword and turning it over in his hands. "Our work here is done."

"Hey! Give that back it's mine!" The redhead shouted from the ground, the only response was another one of those strange creatures holding her mouth shut while the figure continued to examine his prize.

"Let her go!" Lissie shouted, and then as if her legs had a mind of their own, she emerged into the clearing herself. "Face me instead."

The young man, who Lissie now realized was about a foot taller than her with long black hair and grey-green eyes, looked over at the disruption and growled menacingly. "What do you want?"

"Uh, well an explanation would be nice."

"I don't think so." He replied grasping both Lissie's wrists in one hand and holding her above the ground. "I'll teach you to interfere."

"Get your hands off of me!" Lissie demanded angrily. As she struggled flash of green light was emitted from the necklace in her pocket causing the black haired man to shield his eyes. In doing so he dropped both Lissie and the sword.

Taking advantage of her stunned attackers, the red haired girl threw off the creature holding her mouth then dove for the hilt of her sword. Pointing the blade at the man she smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not your average princess in peril."

Lissie suppressed a giggle as the formerly aggressive man and his small army of strange red creatures began to show signs of panic. To add insult to injury the red haired young woman threw a fireball at the retreating attackers just as they jumped into a portal.

"So, what was that all about?" Lissie asked when everything seemed to calm down.

"I have no bloody idea. But I think that wore me out." The red haired girl replied before promptly passing out on the ground.

_**Knock on the Sky**_

**Well** **there you have it, my first actual chapter. I hope you like it. Please read and review. The rest is coming along shortly**

**1.)****Can you name the line this song is from? Oh and the band.**

**2.)****Title of a SheDaisy CD.**

**3.)****Does the name sound familiar? Well it should, that's Bloom's mom.**


	3. My Oh My

**All At Once**

**Disclaimer:**** I accept with poise, with grace when they draw my name from the lottery (1)**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Two: My Oh My (2)**

_**Somewhere in Magix**_

"It's about time you got back here; Serafina's been looking for you." A girl with platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes commented, watching as a tall black haired young man entered the small room where she had been sitting, reading a book while her older sister sat filing her nails. "Where have you been Lantis?"

"That's really none of your business now is it?" Lantis snapped. He sat down on one of the couches littering the room and pointedly ignored the brunette.

"Harsh much?"

The older girl, this one with short sandy brown hair and green-gold eyes looked up from her nails and sighed. "Lantis is just upset because he went skirt chasing on Earth and came back empty handed." She explained flippantly before going back to her manicure.

Lantis demanded looking pissed but also a little embarrassed. "How did you find out?"

"Selia told me." the sandy haired girl replied calmly as she went back to more pressing matters.

"And how did she find out"

"I followed you of course." The blonde answered flippantly

"Selia, would it kill you to mind your own business just once?" Lantis sighed. "In any case, if you followed me then you should know that I was outnumbered."

"You were beat by two girls." Selia baited.

"Do tell." Serafina commented abandoning her manicure. "Who were you chasing Lantis?"

"A red haired specialist by the name of Samara (3) I thought she might have that sword we're looking for." Lantis explained.

"And the other girl?"

"I ended up on Earth with a few of my minions and that's when she showed up. I have no idea who she is."

"So, you were beaten by two girls without magical powers?" Serafina's voice was shrill. "You're one of the most powerful wizards in the magical dimension, how could you let that happen?"

"Both of those girls had magic." Lantis protested, glaring at Selia

Serafina nodded. "Go on."

"The specialist seems to possess some sort of fire magic and the Earth girl shot spores at my minions… and she had a necklace with a green stone. The stone glowed and blinded me."

"That hardly makes it better." Selia snickered. "One of the most powerful wizards, the most powerful one at Cloud Tower blinded by a stone. Honestly Lantis you're pathetic."

Lantis ignored Selia's jab and looked over at Serafina. "Do you think that the stone is the one we need?"

"Let's just concentrate on finding the sword and getting more information on these girls." Serafina replied getting up and pacing about the room. "You say that these girls are still on Earth?"

"They should be."

"Then maybe one of us should pay them a visit." Selia suggested.

"I'm already ahead of you on that, as usual. Delia is already scouting the area with one of her pets."

"Delia! But she's just a freshman." Serafina protested instantly worried about the younger of her twin sisters. "Why not just turn ourselves over to the authorities right now?"

"Relax Fina; I'm going back up there to extra support."

"Yeah, that's so reassuring Lantis." Selia commented rolling her eyes. "My twin sister with her little animals against two girls who brought you down."

"Enough bickering!" Serafina ordered. "Lantis, you may leave now. But I don't want to even catch a scent of you until you've obtained some sort of information about those girls."

"Got it Fina." Lantis replied. Then with a slight bow, the onyx haired young man created a portal and headed back to earth to catch up with Delia.

♫♪♫

Back on Earth Felicity had no idea how she'd managed to get that girl to her house on her bike without dropping everything into the street. Nor did she have any idea why her mother's face paled and her green eyes threatened to bulge from their sockets when she examined the face of the unconscious girl and the insignia on her black leather jacket. All Felicity knew was that for the first time in the sixteen years she'd been alive there was no logical explanation for what she had just witnessed.

"So, what exactly happened to you in the park?" Flora asked her daughter? The two of them were relaxing in the front room preparing to tackle some school work and waiting for their guest to wake up. Felicity was lounging in her favorite chair by the window taking bites of a sandwich while trying to finish up her biology paper and Flora was getting ready to grade some tests an unopened answer book sat on the coffee table between her and the couch where their guest was napping.

"I already told you mom." Felicity replied tersely.

"I know, but you were talking so fast that it was hard to understand everything." Flora answered apologetically.

Felicity blew a stray piece of brunette hair off of her forehead. "Fine. Like I said I was trying to get some down time in before coming back here to finish up my paper and I saw a flash of light and some noises coming from a few feet away." She paused and took a bite of her sandwich. "So even though the logical side of my brain said to just ignore it, I went to investigate and I saw that girl battling with a few monsters."

"What was she fighting?"

"You heard me, a few little red beastie things." Felicity raised her grey eyes to meet her mother's emerald ones. "I know it sounds totally off the wall and you'll think that school is finally getting to me, but she was fighting them off with a blue broadsword along with the occasional fireball."

Flora dropped her grading pen where it fell to the hardwood floor with a plunk. "What was she using?" she asked hoping she'd heard wrong, but knowing in her heart that she hadn't.

"A shimmering blue broadsword and fire. And then this necklace that Vanessa gave me decided to glow and blinded this guy who'd grabbed me for interfering. Oh and I shot pollen spores at some of the beasties." Felicity finished dully before slumping back in her chair. "Please tell me I'm going mad (4) by degrees."

Instead of confirming her daughter's beliefs, Flora decided to tell her something completely different. "Lissie, I don't think you're going crazy. Sweetie I believe that there's something very important that I have to tell you."

"About what?" Felicity asked suspiciously.

"About who you really are."

"What do you mean, 'Who I really am', I'm Felicity."

"And you're a fairy, just like me."

"What?! Mom that's not even remotely funny!" Felicity shouted standing up.

"Lissie, calm down." Flora soothed.

"I will not calm down!"

"At the very least lower your voice."

"Absolutely not!"

Amid all the commotion, the other girl woke up and looked from Felicity to Flora. "Where am I?"

Flora and Felicity stopped their argument to look over at the red haired girl who was sitting up and staring at both of them curiously. "Hello." Flora greeted as her daughter glared silver daggers at her head.

"Hi," the girl replied politely. "Where am I? And what happened."

"You collapsed after that incident in the park, so I took you back here to my house." Felicity explained her voice still friendly even while she was glaring at her mother with a look that should have felled her on the spot.

"Oh, that was nice of you. Thanks for helping me by the way."

"Eh, yeah you're welcome. I'm Felicity Di Fiore by the way and this is my mom, Flora." Felicity gestured to her mom. "Who are you?"

"I'm Samara Daphne Giamarco princess of Domino. But everyone just calls me Sama."

"Nice to meet you. " Flora said shaking Samara's hand. "How did Lissie help you out?"

"I was on my way to Magix to attend Red Fountain when those creatures came along and attacked me forcing me to land here." Samara began. "I was over powered and this young black haired man took my sword and I thought I was done for. But then Felicity showed up and took care of them. It was really something to see all that pollen all over the place and then that stone."

"Felicity, I'm impressed." Flora commented smiling at her daughter.

Felicity's voice was icy when she replied. "Well, I'm not. I'm freaked out. I'm supposed to be filling out college applications not becoming a human plant."

"But Lissie it's like I told you before. You're not a normal human girl, you're a fairy." Flora argued.

"I wish you'd stop saying that, it's not funny."

"But it's the truth."

"No it's not mom!" Felicity shouted standing up and glaring at her mother. "The truth _is_ that my father abandoned you when you were pregnant with me and you found work with the mother of a friend of yours and then worked your way through college. The truth _is_ that you've been raising me for the past sixteen years on your own. The truth is _not_ that I'm a fairy or any other type of mythical creature because they don't exist." At this last comment she looked straight at Samara daring the red haired girl to contradict her. "Now if you'll both excuse me, I'm going to my room to finish my homework."

"Oh dear," Flora muttered sinking down into her chair after Felicity had stormed up the stairs. "That didn't come out how I had planned."

Samara laid a comforting hand on Flora's shoulder. "Some things never do."

Meanwhile down the street from where Felicity was now working out her anger on her calculus homework, a black eyed young woman with her pale blonde hair in a ponytail and an athletic build was strolling along the sidewalk with a rather large dog that to the untrained eye looked like an over grown Siberian husky. However, this was no ordinary dog and its handler was no ordinary woman. The dog was a tracker, much less conspicuous than hunter trolls, these dogs were coveted by magical beings, and this one belonged to Delia Foxglove. Delia was on a mission to find two girls who'd ruined her friend's plan. One yip and a howl from her dog brought a light to Delia's coal black eyes, her prey was just two houses down.

"Good work, Lugh (5)" She said stroking her pet's head. "Lantis will be thrilled, let's get going."

**Well, finally another chapter done. I'm sorry for the wait and the way the ending of this chapter is. Now please review. I'll do some more work tomorrow.**

**1.)****Big Casino by Jimmy Eat World**

**2.)****Song by the Wreckers**

**3.)****According to season 3 of the RAI version, Samara is Sky's mother's name**

**4.)****Another way to say crazy or insane. Yes I'm American, but I enjoy using UK English when I can**

**5.)****Pronounced Lou, he's a trickster and the Celtic god of Light.**


	4. There Goes The Neighborhood

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** Living is hard enough without you screwing it up**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Three: There Goes the Neighborhood** (1)

Felicity had been in her room for an hour finishing up loose ends on her weekend assignments when Samara knocked on the door then let herself in to the brunette teen's blue and green bedroom. The red haired princess laid herself down on Felicity's bed and began sifting through the books on Felicity's bedside table.

"Organic chemistry, One Hundred Years of Movies, and," Samara paused and began to count the different science and horticulture magazines on the floor, "you have very limited interests." She finally said. "But at least it'd be easy to pack."

"Did you come in here for a purpose?" Felicity asked not looking up.

"Yes, I want you to consider coming with me when I leave for Magix in the morning."

"You play contact sports without a helmet, don't you?" Felicity chided as she turned in her forest green upholstered desk chair to size up the other girl, and then quickly went back to her homework.

"No, I'm quite serious. Your mom's agreeable to the idea."

"My mom's usually agreeable to anything." Felicity sighed as she reached for her calculator. "I once dyed my hair pink and she went along with it."

There was a silence so thick in the room you could cut it with a knife as Samara tried to picture the hard headed but seemingly straight laced girl in front of her dying her hair any color not originally found in nature, then she decided to speak again.

"You're not like your mom then, are you?"

Felicity's hands froze in midair above her calculator and she turned to face Samara. "What do you mean by that?" Felicity wasn't upset, just curious how this girl who'd only met her a few hours ago could tell that she and her mother were nothing alike when people who had known them for years still assumed that since Flora and Felicity both were brunettes of medium height with tanned skin since they were mother and daughter, but closer than sisters and enjoyed botany and other sciences their personalities were the same as well.

"It's just that you seem more skeptical about everything than she is." Samara explained.

"Well, aren't you like your mom?"

The red haired girl looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "I don't know. I mean in some ways I do hope I'm like her because she's probably the most powerful fairy in history (2) and I wouldn't mind being powerful."

"Again with the fairies?" Felicity asked somewhat annoyed.

Samara ignored the interruption and continued. "But she tends to give up too quickly which is something I can't stand. And the stories I've heard about her and my father from their friends including your mom really make me hope that I'm…."

"Did you say my mom knew your parents?" Felicity gasped

"Yes, I did."

"So that could mean that you weren't just making stuff up because you fell on your head and there really _is_ an alternate universe made up of magical beings."

"That's what I've been trying to say since I woke up." Samara replied testily. "But you just haven't been listening."

"That could be very interesting, but still I don't know. It just doesn't sound logical."

"I could show you if you wanted, there's no place like the magical dimension."

Felicity opened her mouth to respond, but a loud thud from downstairs interrupted the girls.

"What on earth was that?" Felicity wondered out loud as she pushed herself away from the desk and hurried out into the hallway, Samara was close behind her. The red haired princess bumped her nose into Felicity's back.

"Ow! Warn someone when you put on the brakes." She said rubbing her nose.

"What on earth is that?" Felicity asked, ignoring Samara's comment and pointing at the large dog that had cornered her mother between the bookcases by the front windows and a chair in the front room.

"That?" Samara asked looking to where Felicity was pointing. "That's something you don't want to mess with."

"What is it exactly? I mean it looks like a large dog."

"It's a tracker, look just get your mom out of here and I'll deal with everything else." Samara said as Delia and her pet closed in on Flora.

"Okay." Felicity replied as she leapt down the stairs to confront the intruders. "Hey! You! Get your dog out of my house!" She shouted.

"Who are you?" Delia asked turning around slowly, her glittering onyx eyes narrowed as she took in the green eyed teen and her angry face.

"I could ask you the same question." Felicity countered with her hands on her hips. "You're in my house."

"And you're in my way!" Delia shouted shoving past Felicity to get to Flora. "I'm here looking for someone."

"I believe that would be me." Samara said brandishing her sword. "Felicity, do something about her, I'll take care of her tracker." The

"So you think darling princess," Delia smirked looking at Samara's shocked expression. "Creatures appear!" as she said those words about seven or eight creatures that resembled small timber wolves emerged from the shadows and circled Felicity. The brunette girl squealed and picked up the closest thing she could get her hands on which was a bouquet of silk flowers in a large purple vase.

"Get away!" Felicity shouted brandishing the vase, but it didn't do anything except annoy the wolf like creatures. They nipped at the brunette's ankles with sharp teeth until Felicity was forced to leap out a front window after her mom, the creatures followed.

"How do we get rid of these things?" Felicity asked as she dodged the sharp teeth.

"Maybe like this, let's go ENCHANTIX!" Flora shouted and much to the astonishment of her daughter, the older brunette's hair began to grow and her dark green sweater and white jeans were transformed into a pale lavender baby doll dress with pastel green and blue accents and she sprouted colorful butterfly wings.

"Mom what on Earth is _that_?" Felicity gasped her eyes wide with shock.

"I'll explain later Lissie; I don't know how strong my magic is or how long I can keep it up. It's been a while since I transformed."

"Ookay." Felicity replied blinking, "Uh, let's get to work then, shall we?"

Flora nodded at her daughter, "Ivy rope!" She cried ensnaring a few of the creatures in twisting vines, Felicity watched in amazement as her mother unleashed another attack, this time of golden pollen causing a few more creatures to fall asleep.

Delia stared at Flora confused and took a small light blue crystal on a silver chain from her pants pocket and held it up. The crystal flared for a second then went out much to the black eyed beast manipulator's disappointment; this older fairy might have strong powers, but she wasn't one of the ones they were looking for.

"What rot, all this way for nothing." Delia grumbled flipping back her long blonde ponytail. "Do what you want my pets, but return to me when you're done." And with that, she clapped her hands three times and a bright blue light appeared engulfing the blonde and pulling her back to Magix.

Meanwhile Flora and Felicity were trying to fend off the wolf like creatures while Samara defended herself from the tracker, however once Delia had left, Lugh also vanished, but not before tearing the leg of Samara's black jeans.

"Blast! That was my new uniform." Samara shouted as she jumped out the window to join the two brunettes.

"Sorry to hear that." Felicity muttered sarcastically as she and Flora knocked away another one of the wolves. The going was getting harder because although the trio was gaining the upper hand every so often the creatures were growing larger. Then without warning, Flora fell to her knees- her Enchantix form slowly fading back to her civvies.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Felicity asked shoving one of the beasts out of the way and kneeling down next to her mom.

"I guess my strength isn't what it used to be." Flora replied weakly.

"Don't worry, I called for backup." Samara told them, and here it is now.

Felicity looked up to see a red ship with the same markings as the one on Samara's jacket land in her front yard. "There goes the neighborhood." She muttered as two girls-one with golden blonde hair in a long ponytail and another with her black hair in braids held back by a turquoise colored scarf- and a boy with cherry colored hair and a scowl on his face stepped off the ship.

"What took you so long?" Samara demanded looking right at the brunette girl who was standing next to the one with the braids.

"We had to drop Isilee off at Cloud Tower." The girl with the braids replied, Felicity noticed that she was dressed in an outfit similar to what Samara and her male companion were wearing. The blonde girl however was wearing a shimmery yellow top and a pair of white skinny jeans with a pair of gold heels.

"She's really going there?" Samara gasped.

"Yes, she's _really_ going there." The boy replied.

"Hey! Can we do the socializing _after_ we get rid of these… whatever they are?" Felicity asked as she tried to shake one of the wolf like things off her leg. It came off with part of her track pants and some skin.

"On it." The boy replied calmly as he pulled some throwing stars from his jacket. He tossed one and the rest flew from his hands and straight at the creatures knocking out all but one.

The one remaining beast seemed to grow right before their eyes and lunged right at the boy's chest knocking him to the ground. It was about to clamp its jaws around the boy's neck when Felicity let out a shout and shot vines out of her hands restraining the creature and pulling it off of the boy. Then quick as a wink, the blonde shot out a blast of light vaporizing the beastie.

"Glad that's over." Flora said, still sitting on the ground.

"Way to go Felicity, I knew you could do it." Samara complimented as she draped an arm around the astonished girl's shoulders.

"I guess that means I _am_ a fairy." Felicity sighed.

"Or a witch." The blonde giggled.

"Nice. Hey, Samara are they friends of yours?"

"Yes they are." Samara replied. "Meet Aurora (3) from Solaria, she's the blonde and Aiyanna from Andros. Oh and the angry scowling guy is Gavin, he's from Melody."

"Okay." Was all Felicity could manage.

"Nice to meet you, are you coming to Alfea?" Aurora asked curiously.

"Now that we're done here, can we get going?" Gavin cut in before Felicity could reply. "We came here for nothing anyway."

"No one asked you to come here anyway." Felicity shot back. "And by the way, you're welcome."

"For what?" Gavin asked scratching his head.

"For saving your life." Felicity answered before going back into the house.

**_All good intentions must be circumvented _****(4)**

**Well, a few months and a few hours and I finally have a third chapter, don't forget to review, and yes, Felicity will be at Alfea by the next chapter.**

**1.) ****Song by Sheryl Crow**

**2.) ****According to Ms. Faraganda- not to me**

**3.) ****Aurora is Stella and Brandon's daughter in case you haven't guessed yet. Her name means Goddess of the Dawn according to babynames dot com**

**4.) ****Ten points and a chance at maybe being a character if you can name the song and the musical where this line is from.**


	5. The First To Let Go

**A Place in This World**

**Note:**** Hey I really am sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I haven't really been watching Winx Club very much even though I have most of the DVDs. I kinda gave up because of the 3****rd**** season not being released by Mondo Home Entertainment and not readily available in English (the 4Kids dub isn't even accessible right now!) Also I don't know what will happen in the 4****th**** season or if that will be aired here in the states. But all the same, thank you for sticking with me and this story. Now on with the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer:**** School prepares you for the real world which also sucks **

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Four: The First To Let Go**

Flora had ushered the teens back into the house-or more accurately she was brought into the house supported by Felicity and Aiyanna who set her on the couch in the front room then made some tea. Flora had then insisted that they all stay and rest for a while. Aiyanna and Aurora agreed, but Gavin was against it saying that they needed to get to their schools.

Felicity had escaped from the front room where her mom and the other three girls were huddled over cookies, tea and sandwiches and set herself up at the kitchen table with her books, papers and her calculator so she could at least try to finish her homework in peace. Unfortunately Gavin had already made himself comfortable and was eating a sandwich at the stove when she arrived and he had no real intention of leaving.

"Could you possibly stop staring at me?" Felicity snapped as the cherry haired boy gaped at her from across the kitchen.

"No, I've never seen anyone but Parker move his fingers so fast on a graphing calculator so I'm impressed." Gavin replied still looking straight at her.

Felicity had nothing to say to that for a few minutes. Then she remembered the incident back in her front yard. "You never said thank you."

"For what?" Gavin asked confused.

"For saving your life." Felicity reminded him with a smug grin.

"I never asked you to save me. I could've done it myself."

"Okay, then next time some creature with sharp teeth has its mouth around your jugular instead of using these strange new powers to help you, I'll stand by on the sidelines and cheer it on." Felicity replied calmly, fixing her grey eyes on Gavin's amethyst ones.

Then since Gavin couldn't seem to come up with a good comeback, Felicity turned her head back to the screen of her laptop.

The next morning Felicity was pleased to see that it was just her and her mother at the kitchen. Flora explained that everyone but Samara had left after Felicity had gone upstairs to bed and Aiyanna had suggested that they leave Samara there and head back to Magix.

"So, that's it?" Felicity asked pouring herself a bowl of cereal. "Is Samara leaving this morning?"

"Yes," Flora replied calmly as she took a sip of her tea. "And you're to go with her."

"But what about school here, I can't just drop out, can I?"

"I've already called your school and told them that you've been accepted to a school abroad. They never asked questions since your grades are very good."

"But what about the fact that I'm _not_ a fairy?" Felicity hissed she wasn't that pleased that she'd been busting her butt the past three years for school just to be sent somewhere else.

"Alfea will take care of that Felicity." Flora replied calmly as she handed Felicity an envelope. "They'll teach you how to become a fairy."

"Mom, are you sure about this?"

Flora turned in her chair and took Felicity's hands in her own then looked straight at her daughter's face. "No, I'm not sure. I'm scared that everything I tried to shield you from these past sixteen years will come back for you."

Felicity's brain tried to process all this information and wanted her to ask what her mom was talking about. But the look in Flora's eyes told her that it wasn't the best idea right now. "Then why do you want to send me?" She asked instead.

"Because this is what you need right now. And it's time for me to let you go."

"Mom?"

"Well, you were going to go off to university next year anyway. Why not start early?" Flora asked wiping away a stray tear.

"Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt you both, but I have to get going." Samara announced as she entered the kitchen. "Is Felicity coming?"

"Yes." Flora answered. "She's coming."

"Good because I took the liberty of packing her suitcase for her last night." Samara said holding up Felicity's suitcase. "I'm glad my mom taught me a few packing spells."

Felicity just looked on in shock. She couldn't believe that someone could just go into her room and pack up clothes for her. It was beyond her comprehension and it was all she could do to blurt out how bad it was that her parents had never taught her any manners.

"Lissie? Are you okay?" Flora finally asked noticing that her daughter hadn't moved an inch.

"Yeah, you have to go get changed or we'll never get to Magix on time." Samara added.

Felicity closed her eyes and prayed for the ability to stay calm, because if she prayed for strength she may have just punched Samara out cold. "Okay" She finally said. "Just give me a few minutes."

A few hours later Felicity was standing outside the gates of Alfea wearing a pair of violet plaid capris with a grey baby doll top and dark violet patent leather Mary Janes. Her long auburn hair was held back from her face by a grey scarf, the large pendant hung from her neck in plain view and she held her suitcase tightly in one hand. The letter from her mother was tucked into her green floral print hobo bag and her one suitcase packed courtesy of Samara Princess of Eraklion and Domino was in her left hand.

Samara had given her a quick rundown of what to expect before boarding the transport for Red Fountain, but Felicity was still irked with the red haired girl from her actions earlier to give her full attention. All she knew now was that she should look for Aurora or just get in line with the other students and show her letter to the head of discipline.

Felicity shook her head to clear her mind. Aurora was probably her best bet. Even if the blonde did seem to have her head in the clouds, she did know the layout of the place as well as what to expect. Plus she was a familiar face. Felicity started walking until she spotted Aurora- wearing a short pale yellow dress with small blue flowers on it and blue wedge sandals- chatting with a maroon haired girl with beads in her hair and a sprinkle of freckles on her nose wearing a faded red t-shirt with a picture of a potato and a container of French fries on it. The potato was telling the fries they'd changed.

"Hey." Felicity called out casually. Aurora looked up and her face broke into a large smile.

"Oh wow! When did you get here?" The blonde fairy gushed as she hurried to Felicity's side while dragging her companion long with her to where the brunette was standing.

"Uh, ten minutes ago." Felicity replied warily.

"That's good that means you haven't gone through the head of discipline yet. So let me give you some pointers."

"Okay."

"One, don't stare her directly in the eye, you may turn to stone." Aurora joked

Felicity rolled her own eyes in response. "Do you have any better advice?"

"Don't listen to Aurora; the eternal sun of Solaria has fried her brain." The maroon haired girl commented rolling her deep green eyes. "Ms Griselda isn't nearly as frightening as she makes it seem."

"How do _you_ know Lilith?" Aurora asked in an accusing tone. "_You_ go to Cloud Tower."

"Ah, so I do." Lilith admitted grinning. "But my mom went here and she says that Ms Griselda is mostly bark and very little bite."

"Uh, yeah. But Lili your mom _started_ at Clout Tower so maybe just maybe Griselda just doesn't compare to professors Zurathsara and Edeltrude." Aurora pointed out still agitated and exaggerating nearly every word. "My mom says that Griselda is just a step down from the Trix."

"Only because your mom was always getting into trouble for one thing or another." Lilith reminded the blonde with a grin.

"Okay you've got me."

"So, your moms went to school here too?" Felicity asked growing tired of the exchange.

"Yes they did." Lilith replied as she pulled a deep blue mobile phone from the pocket of her cadet blue corduroy pants to check the time. "Crap, orientation starts in fifteen minutes. I have to catch the shuttle now. Then when I get to Cloud Tower I have to beat on Isilee for not calling me!" The maroon haired witch in training ranted while she picked up a bright purple messenger bag decorated with a deep pink metallic dragon.

"So that means your moms knew my mom." Felicity said as Lilith ran towards one of the shuttles.

"Could be, but I can't stay and chat. Text me later! Bye!" Lilith called over her shoulder.

"Will do." Aurora shouted back before turning her full attention to Felicity. "Yeah, that's an affirmative if she went here. What's your point?"

"My point is that maybe they know about my dad."

Aurora looked at Felicity for a few minutes, her grey eyes wide and unblinking before speaking. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not? I thought it was a perfectly logical question."

"I believe ladies that the only logical question is why the two of you haven't been processed yet." A crisp female voice broke in.

"Oh uh, hi Ms. Griselda." Aurora stuttered looking at the sharp faced head of discipline. "I'm Aurora Estella (1) DiSolis the second princess of Solaria. How are you?"

Griselda nearly dropped her clipboard to the ground. "Oh no, not another one." She whispered in shock. She'd had enough trouble last year with Artemisia Chandra (2) the first princess of Solaria. That girl was almost as much trouble as her mother.

Aurora just shrugged. "Don't worry; Artemisia is attending Cloud Tower this year so you just have me to worry about."

Ms. Griselda had the distinct look of someone who was praying for an aneurism. "Very well then. And who is this?" The head of discipline asked addressing Felicity who until that moment had her back towards the older woman.

"My name is Felicity, my mom told me to give you this letter." Felicity replied as she spun around and handed Ms Griselda the letter Flora had given her. "It should explain everything.

For the second time in less than ten minutes Ms Griselda, the nearly unflappable head of discipline at Alfea was in a state of near shock as she took a good look at Felicity's face. "I see that your paperwork is in order." Ms. Griselda finally uttered when she'd regained her composure. "But I don't know if this is the proper way of doing things."

"She's from Earth, but her mom's a fairy from way back." Aurora supplied helpfully. "And Samara of Eraklion brought her along after Felicity'd saved her from some monsters."

Felicity wisely kept her mouth shut, she really didn't care one way or another if she was allowed into Alfea or not. For all she was concerned this Ms Griselda could send her back to Gardenia. Except that she was just a little curious about this secret past life of her mother's and maybe she did want to be able to control this new found power. And those maybes were strong enough to squelch the rational side of Felicity's brain for a few moments.

"Ma'am." Felicity spoke up. Aurora couldn't have been more surprised if her bag had decided to do the polka. "My mom did attend this school, and she's just been so secretive about her past and well…." Felicity trailed off not sure where to go next in her small rant.

"Well what?" Ms Griselda prompted; she was looking at Felicity with a critical eye.

"Well I don't know, but I guess if I'm to find out about how to control my powers and about who I really am the best place to do so is here. It's only logical."

"Yes, so it is. While I did rather enjoy the speech Ms. Felicity, you and Ms Aurora are now three minutes late for orientation. Please proceed to the main entrance hall."

Aurora let out a small squeal of delight and began to drag Felicity to the large pink building that was Alfea College for Fairies. Meanwhile Ms Griselda just looked on wondering what she'd gotten herself into.

**Well I'm just going to end it there and see when I can update again. I hope this chapter was serviceable. Please read and review, I'm still working on a plot and the rest of the kids. Trust me, once I figure this stuff out it'll be great.**

**1.)****Spanish for star, the double 'L' is pronounced as a 'Y' so you'd say Estreya.**

**2.)****Sanskrit for moon. This is appropriate because Artemisia is the feminine form of Artemis the Greek (?) god of the moon. If I'm wrong let me know okay?**


	6. Caught In The Moment

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** If you want to live, live. If you want to go, let go **

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Five: Caught Up In The Moment**

_**Downtown Magix**_

"So, Lantis, I hear that this little Earth girl managed to defeat Delia's creature attack with some pollen." Serafina announced coldly as she glared at the dark haired young man seated on a dark blue couch. "And now she's at Alfea of all places."

Lantis looked up and focused his dark grey eyes on Serafina's brown ones. "Yes, I'm well aware of that fact. Are you aware that she was assisted by her mother who was one of those Winx girls? Or that she had help from some Red Fountain recruits?"

"Nothing but one second year and two firsties." Serafina scoffed. "So what do you intend to do next?"

"Infiltrate Alfea of course. And I've just the girls to do it." Lantis finished with a grin. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've some business at Red Fountain."

_**Alfea College for Fairies**_

Felicity had only been in the magical dimension for a total of two hours and forty minutes but she'd already found out that things in Magix varied greatly from what she was used to back in Gardenia. This was especially clear after Ms. Faraganda released the new students after orientation.

"Come with me." Aurora said grabbing a hold of Felicity's wrist as the brunette was preparing to ask the grey haired headmistress for directions. "The Freshmen rooms are all in one spot. Just go with the crowd."

"But what about a map?" Felicity wondered aloud as she was pulled along the hallways. "And I don't even think they have a room for me in the first place!"

"Oh I'm sure Faraganda worked something out." Aurora reassured the panicking brunette as they stopped in front of a set of double doors with five names stenciled on the wall beside them.

"In three minutes?" Felicity asked incredulously. She'd already found it hard to believe in magical powers, but now Aurora was telling her that they could do a transfer in less than three minutes. "Are you sure?"

"Of course." Aurora replied pointing to where Felicity's name was written, right under hers.

"Wish they were this fast at my old school." Felicity muttered opening the doors. "Back in Gardenia it takes three days just for a new print up of the class schedule."

"Well my dear, that's why Gardenia is on Earth and _this,_ is Magix."

Felicity nodded, she was still skeptical about this whole magical dimension business, quick entrance aside.

"Hopefully you'll figure everything out quickly." Aurora continued as she made her way towards a second set of doors. "Because if I have to babysit you I think I'll go insane."

"That's my thought, and thanks but I don't need a nanny."

"And of course I have a single room; my mom wouldn't have it any other way." Aurora continued on as though Felicity hadn't spoken. "I wonder who you'll room with."

Felicity looked around the room where she was to stay and noticed that aside from a bright green suitcase on one of the beds the room didn't look lived in. Felicity went back to the first set of doors and looked at the third name. "Minerva (1) from Zenith" She read. There were two others, but Felicity figured that they'd be sharing the room on the opposite end of the suite and didn't bother reading them.

"That'd be me." Announced a new voice. Both Felicity and Aurora turned to see a short girl with short spiky red hair and small wire rimmed glasses in front of light brown eyes. "Pleasure to meet you." She said extending her hand to Felicity.

"I know you!" Aurora exclaimed happily. "You're like family friends or something."

"Yeah, and I know of you. You and your sister are two of the most notorious troublemakers in the entire magical dimension." Minerva shot back.

"I can believe that." Felicity commented grinning.

Aurora pouted. "You only know of me because Missy gets me involved in all her trouble."

"And you go along willingly." Minerva returned with a smile.

"Well, not always. Just…."

"On the days that end in 'y'" Felicity quipped feeling slightly more at ease.

"No!" Aurora shouted back.

"Will you two knock it off already?" A shrill female voice demanded cutting through Aurora and Minerva's friendly banter. "We're trying to concentrate on an important matter! And you're disturbing us."

"Who's this us?" Aurora asked turning towards the other double doors to see a tall girl, slender as a reed with blonde hair two pale shades darker than her own and cornflower blue eyes wearing a ruby colored top and skinny jeans with a pair of three inch black heels.

"I'm Selia from Nemesis and my sister and I are trying to get some work done before tomorrow's classes." The other blonde snapped impatiently. "We've no time or patience for your bickering."

"Selia, do you always have to be so rude?" Another girl asked as she came to the doorway, this one had hair so blonde it was almost white and jet black eyes and she was wearing slightly baggy flared jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. "These girls are our suitemates for this year." She added giving a meaningful look at Felicity. "And we don't want to make enemies the first day."

The girl with the pale blonde hair continued to stare at Felicity until the brunette had to look away; something in her manner behind the polite speech was making her uneasy.

"Yes, but they're so noisy. It's like a gaggle of geese." Selia fumed.

"You're the one who's noisy." Aurora countered angrily. "And rude, you could have just asked politely."

"Just the same, I think we'd better head out to let you do your work." Felicity stated suddenly. "Our friend just got here and we want to show her about town before it gets late."

"Don't feel put out on our account." The paler girl said. "I'm Delia by the way. And don't mind my sister's attitude; she's just upset because her boyfriend dumped her."

Selia gave her sister a dirty look then went back into their room, Delia followed.

"So, shall we go somewhere?" Minerva asked when the three of them were alone again.

"How about Red Fountain?" Aurora suggested. "Felicity needs to get the feel of Magix and Mom and dad wanted me to check in with my brother when I got here anyways."

"Okay, I should check in with Parker and Preston too." Minerva agreed.

Felicity said nothing, just resigned herself to the fact that she was about to be brought along with these new girls and there wasn't much she could do about it. Besides she wasn't about to stay in their suite by herself.

"C'mon Lissie, we'll miss the shuttle." Aurora called dragging Felicity along.

_**Red Fountain**_

"This is a school?" Felicity asked as the shuttle pulled up to a metal structure that seemed to be suspended in mid-air. "It looks…."

"Looks what?" Minerva asked. She'd been informed on the trip over that Felicity's mother was an old friend of theirs and she was brought up on Earth in a small town called Gardenia.

"Well, odd." Felicity finished finding most words unsuitable for the proper description of this building. In Felicity's mind it was decidedly phallic, but she didn't really want to discuss that with Aurora present.

"Yeah, I know, but it's supposed to also be quite safe." Aurora put in. "The former headmaster had to rebuild it from scratch because of an incident back when our mothers were freshmen."

"What happened?" Felicity asked curious.

"The Trix stole Mara's mother's power after attacking her Earth parents, _and_ they turned Lilith's mom into a pumpkin."

"Okay. I fail to see how Lilith's mom becoming a pumpkin has anything to do with why the old building was destroyed, but go ahead with your story." Felicity said smiling. They'd gotten off the main elevators and were heading into the elevators which would take them to the Sophomore dorms.

"It was a terrible battle." Minerva continued as they followed Aurora down the halls of the sophomore wing. "The entire town of Magix was mummified if you want to believe the stories and the Trix destroyed Red Fountain first. Which was actually a nice thing compared to what they did to their classmates and one of the Trix's minions."

"Gavin's dad got locked in a dungeon and had to jump out a window to escape some rot monsters." Aurora explained cheerily.

"Yes, and he managed to save your parent's because of it." Gavin put in as he stood in front of the girls.

"And a hello to you too Gavin." Aurora said smiling. "Have you seen Bryce? Because I was supposed to check in with him before I got totally settled at Alfea and then I realized that I forgot to charge my mobile, so I had to come over here."

"Do I look like a message boy to the prince of Solaria?" Gavin demanded.

"Give me a moment to think on that."

"She'll need more than a moment." Minerva stated with a laugh.

Felicity let out a short giggle as well causing Gavin to fix his dark amethyst eyes on her. "You again?" He asked in disbelief. "I thought we'd left you in Gardenia."

"Yeah, you can thank Samara for bringing me here." Felicity replied. "It wasn't my idea."

"I could see that last night. Did your mom have any part in that?"

"Partially, but you can thank Samara for packing my clothes and dragging me aboard the shuttle to Alfea as well."

"I may just do that." Gavin answered with a slight smirk

Now it was Felicity's turn to be shocked, but before she could say anything Minerva opened her mouth after putting two and two together.

"So you've met?" The carrot haired fairy asked curiously. This whole conversation was starting to have the same beginnings as the romance novels she read. To be able to witness something like her romance novels in real life was like a dream come true.

"Briefly." Gavin responded.

"How did that happen?" Minerva asked she was getting more intrigued by the second.

"He landed in my front yard with some other people." Felicity explained casually. She left out the part where she'd used magic to attack one of the dog like creatures and saved his neck, literally.

"Fee saved his life." Aurora added, helpfully filling in the blanks that Felicity had left from her story. "Gavin was about to be minion chow then poof, Fee used her vines and saved him."

"That's so romantic." Minerva gushed.

Felicity shrugged. "If you say so, personally I think it's just odd."  
"Yeah, but you never know." Minerva argued. "A chance meeting and not knowing if they'd ever see each other again then bam, the two of you run into each other again here at Red Fountain. It's fate."

Felicity didn't know whether to laugh or correct this poor girl, lucky for her, Aurora knew the way to get around this situation

"Come off it Minerva, you know Gavin doesn't have a romantic bone in his body." Aurora put in. "Besides no one can compare to his first love."

"And who would that be?" Minerva asked wondering if maybe there was some tragic past she was about to be privy to.

"Himself of course."

Gavin sighed. He didn't want to get into any of his personal life with Aurora especially before school even started. "Okay Aurora, you win, Bryce is down in our old dorm room."

"Same as last year Four twenty-six F." Aurora asked giving Gavin a smug smile which he failed to return.

"Yeah, Headmaster Corditorta decided it was too much work to re-plaster the room so he kept us where we were." The magenta haired boy was grinning when he finished his explanation.

"Sounds messy." Felicity opined.

"Yes, very, but at least I don't have to wander around forever like last year." Aurora said as she turned to leave. "Thanks Gavin." She called over her shoulder hurrying off ahead of Minerva and Felicity.

Minerva had obviously been to Red Fountain before so she knew where she was going even though Aurora was a few paces ahead of them. Felicity on the other hand had only been in the magical dimension for six hours and prior to that had no knowledge of any schools there. So when she lost her friends after stopping to stare out one of the windows and wonder how the building managed to float Felicity panicked and ran around the nearest corner in to Samara knocking the girl over. Aiyanna who'd been walking with Samara to get a feel for their new school just stood there staring at the two of them.

"I don't believe my luck!" Samara exclaimed as she stood and brushed herself off. "I thought I'd have to search all over Magix for you. But instead you're here!" She wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist and gave Felicity a hug. "I'm glad you got through the administration at Alfea okay!"

Felicity looked down at Samara- something she had to do since the red haired girl was at least four inches shorter than her- and smiled. "Well, that was thanks to Aurora, who I'm still looking for."

"Is Aurora a blonde girl with very impractical footwear?" Aiyanna asked looking at Felicity's red and gold sneakers.

"Yep," Felicity replied. "And she was with another girl with short red hair and glasses."

"Wearing a knee length black skirt and an emerald green sleeveless sweater?"

"You're right again. Where did they go?"

"Down that corridor." Aiyanna said pointing behind her to the left. "I think they went looking for Bryce the prince of whatever.

"Yes, that was it. Thanks Aiyanna. Samara, it was good to uh… bump into you again." Felicity finished lamely as she headed in the direction the darker skinned girl had pointed.

As Felicity disappeared down the hall Samara and Aiyanna continued on their personal orientation of Red Fountain and Lantis came out from the empty classroom where he'd been spying on the girls. (2) He felt almost as happy as Samara now that he had some good news to report to his coven members, too bad classes started tomorrow or they could get to work.

_**I'll face it because this is the heart of everything **_**(3)**

**Thank you everyone for waiting. At least this time it was just over a month…. Okay it was almost two months. But read, review and give honest opinions. **

**1.)****The Greek Goddess of Wisdom. Yes, I do know that Minerva is very different than her parents. To see how different you'll just have to keep reading now won't you? Yeah, you'll also have to do that to find out who her parents are eh?**

**2.)****Sorry about the clichéd ending everyone. But I was running out of fuel for this chapter.**

**3.)****Three bucks and a Mustang to whomever can name the song this line is from**


	7. Character Recap

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer: Ask me anything is what my boyfriend told me. So I asked him if hed ever been a woman in a past life. **

**Dedication All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Six: Character recap**

**(Please bear with me- I feel I have to do this before the next chapter):**

**Felicity:**** Nicknames: Lissie Fee. Light brown hair down to her shoulders and grey eyes Age 16 Parents Flora and Helia (divorced) Attends Alfea and rooms with Minerva of Zenith. Enjoys science and logic. Used to play ice hockey and run track at her old school in Gardenia. Felicity misses her old logical life in Gardenia and is going to take some time to adjust to life in Magix.**

**Samara of Domino:**** Nicknames: Mara or Sama. Wavy red hair just past her shoulders and bright blue eyes. Age 16 Parents Sky and Bloom. Attends Red Fountain and rooms with Aiyanna of Andros. Shes responsible for Felicitys being in Alfea and shes extremely impulsive and doesnt always listen to reason. Sama also has issues with personal boundaries- for example she packed Felicitys suitcase for Magix without waiting to find out if Felicity was even going. She and Felicity have a bit of a love hate relationship going on.**

**Aiyanna of Andros:**** Nickname: Yanyan Dark brown almost black hair and grey eyes Age 16 Parents Layla and Nabu. Attends Red Fountain and rooms with Samara. Shes very straight forward, athletic and fears spiders and the dark. Aiyanna has an older sister at CT, shell be introduced later.**

**Aurora of Solaria:**** Nicknames: Rora Rory. Blonde hair and dark brown eyes Age 16 Parents Stella and Brandon. Attends Alfea and has her own room which is a good thing because her closet takes up most of the space. Her older brother (Bryce) goes to RF and her older sister is at CT (again, intros later) Loves fashion and is extremely stubborn. And sometimes her mouth works faster than her brain, but then the two catch up and Rora can usually be relied on to get out of most predicaments which coincidentally is also a good thing because she tends to get everyone into most predicaments.**

**Minerva of Zenith:**** Nicknames Minnie, Min Short carrot red hair and dark brown eyes. Age 16 Parents Timmy and Tecna. Attends Alfea and rooms with Felicity. Minnie is a hopeless romantic loves romance novels and believes in fate and luck. She has two older brothers (Parker and Preston (1)) who will be introduced later. Unlike Minnie they take after their parents- to a point.**

**Lilith:**** Nicknames Lili or Lil. Short maroon hair dark green eyes. Age 16 Parents Mirta and Loric (OC- dont worry that you dont know of him) Attends CT and has an older brother named Jayden. Has a no nonsense attitude but tends to be chronically disorganized.**

**Gavin:**** Age: 17 Magenta hair styled kind of like Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club and deep blue eyes. Very dry sense of humor and can be either very rude or very honest depending on your point of view. He attends Red Fountain and shares a room with Bryce and Alex from Solaria and is a master lock picker and not too bad with sword play either. He and Felicity have a love hate relationship as well, but not the same kind that Felicity and Samara have.**

**Lantis:**** Age 16 shoulder length black hair caught up in a ponytail at the base of his neck and grey eyes. Calm and calculating so its hard to figure out whos playing who with the villains. Lantis is after three objects, the stone from the river of light, the sword of a great ruler, and the mirror of truth. Together they will revive the greatest evil the magical dimension has ever seen. At the moment Lantis is attending Red Fountain in order to complete his search.**

**Selia:**** Age 16 long pale blonde hair that ends mid back and pale blue eyes. Selia and her twin Delia (Sorry about the rhyming names- for that matter I also apologize for Parker and Preston) are attending Alfea in order to spy on the new freshmen class. Selia (nickname See) is a very bossy, impulsive and antagonistic person. Her power is over the mind kind of like Darcy but she and her sisters are not descendants of the Trix. Selia and Aurora dont get along at all and will come to blows.**

**Delia:**** Age 16 Pale blonde hair that ends at her shoulder blades and coal black eyes. Delia is the calmer twin, she understands that there is work to be done even if she isnt too sure about the idea of the group shes with and she isnt a fan of Minerva or Felicity. Delias power is over animals as shown in the beginning chapters. **

**Serafina:**** Age 17 nickname Sera. Light brown hair and hazel eyes. Serafina is the main brains of the operation to steal and combine the three items (which I havent figured out what they form maybe a grail- I can steal from SailorMoonS!) Shes not exactly one of Lantis fans and feels that hes incompetent as a witch and as a leader and has some plans on the back burner to take over. Serafina attends Cloud Tower as a second year and shares a suite with Artemisia- Auroras sister. Her powers are over illusions. **

**Okay thank you so much for dealing with that other characters will be properly introduced as theyre brought into the story. **

**1.) ****What can I say? Im addicted to Desperate Housewives- For those who dont know Parker and Preston are the names of Tom and Lynette Scavos twin boys. **


	8. Something Wicked

**A Place in This World**

** Disclaimer: Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. **

** Dedication All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Seven: Something Wicked**

**_The next morning at Alfea Castle_**

I cant believe you let me over sleep! Aurora was shouting from her private suite. It was the first day of classes and truth be told they didnt start for another forty-five minutes, but Aurora was her mothers daughter and was determined to make a splashy entrance with some carefully chosen outfit.

We didnt let you do anything! Felicity shot back as she pulled a green t-shirt over her head then immediately pulled her long hair into a high ponytail, You let yourself forget to set your alarm.

Besides, youre hardly over sleeping; Classes dont start for about another hour. Minerva added as she fastened her knee length floral skirt at her hips and admired her reflection in the dorms full length mirror.

You two are no help at all! Aurora yelled while throwing clothes around her formerly immaculate room.

Do you want to stop her or should I? Felicity asked looking from the door to Auroras room to Minerva.

If you dont, then I will. Selia warned from the doorway to her and her sisters dorm. Selia and her twin sister Delia were also freshmen at Alfea, but neither girl seemed too eager to make friends with their suitemates. That girl is getting on my nerves and its only her second day.

Selia, honestly cant you mind your business for once? Delia demanded as she appeared at the door and dragged her sister back into their dorm slamming the door behind them. Really Selia. The darker haired blonde hissed as she dragged her younger sister away from the door. You need to control yourself if this plan is going to work.

Selia just nodded and finished getting herself ready for class.

Back in Felicity and Minervas room Aurora had burst from her dorm in her bathrobe, holding up a filmy white blouse and a pair of dark denim skinny jeans in one hand and a red plaid skirt and a black cap sleeved sweater in the other. Help. She said plaintively. Please.

Are you sure? Minerva asked astonished.

No not really, Aurora admitted sounding very unapologetic. And quite frankly seeing what Felicity is wearing I really dont want _her_ help.

Whats wrong with the way Im dressed? Felicity demanded as she bent to tie the laces of her green and black sneakers.

Its too _ordinary_. Aurora announced as if Felicity should be locked away for wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Youre pretty, but that outfit isnt helping you. If you ever want my help though, Im right next door. So Minnie, skirt or jeans?

Minerva placed her fist on her chin contemplating. The skirt and the sweater obviously. That blouse is too revealing for school- especially with _that_ bra. The red head added pointing at the black strap peeking from the side of Auroras pink robe. With the skirt and sweater you can wear those below the knee black boots you have and not look like youre giving it away.

Aurora nodded happily and gave Minerva a hug. Oh Minnie, I think youre the most logical person in your family no matter what your mom says! She squealed before retreating back to her room to get dressed.

After Minerva had solved Auroras fashion crisis the trio made it to the cafeteria with time to spare then had separated for classes. Felicity was grateful for that because she didnt want to hear either girl trying to give her pointers while professor Palladium kept calling her Flora during the potions class.

Finally Felicity had had enough and stood up next to her desk. Felicity. Shed announced enunciating the syllables. Fe-li-ci-tee. Not Flora.

Palladium flushed Yes, of course and dismissed class. Herbology was after that with Minerva as a desk partner and Selia of all people two seats up. The professor at that class was rather young looking with reddish brown hair and huge green eyes. She kept staring at Felicity as though she knew her. This was more than a little unnerving.

After the first half of classes had finished Felicity found herself with Aurora and Minerva in the large cafeteria. The carrot haired fairy was staring at their suitemates a few tables over as Felicity set down her tray at the table and sat herself on the bench

I just dont get it. Minerva finally stated turning back to her friends.

Yeah I know, this food is just as bad as it is backing home. Felicity replied poking suspiciously at her macaroni and cheese concoction. Youd think a magic school would have better food.

No I mean our suitemates. I didnt see them at orientation, and they arent on the lists of incoming freshmen.

How do you know that? Aurora asked curiously.

I called Parker during Magical Theories and had him look it up. Minerva answered. You know I cant do things like that.

Yet, Aurora corrected. Professor Palladium is going to help you tap into your magical energies remember?

Well, maybe Im just not cut out to be the fairy of technology. Minerva countered. Im not a technical person Im an emotional person. But really were off the subject.

What was the subject again?

How about what curiosity did to the cat? Selia asked coming up behind the trio arms crossed over her dark green blouse.

Killed it. Felicity replied dead pan.

Exactly. Selia replied with a grin.

But satisfaction brought it back. Aurora countered standing up to get toe to toe with their suitemate. Seriously girl, are you threatening us on the first day of classes?

Selia flipped a lock of pale blonde hair over her shoulder. Dont think of it as a threat, think of it as being forewarned. She answered calmly. Dont stick your noses where they dont belong is all Im saying.

Well stick our noses where we darn well please. Aurora snapped. Now if you dont mind this is an A B conversation, see your way out of it. She finished as Minerva pulled the solar fairy back down into her seat.

Selia meandered back to her table as though the whole conversation had never taken place while the others kept an eye on her.

I like most people. Aurora confided when Selia finally took her seat. But I really dont like her.

No, youre kidding. Felicity replied sarcastically. Here I thought you two were gonna hug it out.

No way in the Omega Dimension is I hugging that frigid bitch. Aurora stated. Seriously her clothes alone give me the chills.

I know what you mean. Minerva agreed. There is something definitely off about Selia and her sister.

You mean because they werent on the list, or because Selias an obnoxious cow? Felicity asked taking a sip of her milk.

Both Aurora confirmed biting into a carrot stick. Now, about _your _clothes.

**_Later that day, Selia and Delias room_**

I cant believe that ditz spied on us. Selia griped as she and her sister sat in their dorm room going over notes Serafina had sent them on the incoming freshmen at Alfea. The only name missing from the list was Felicity who shared their suite so that wasnt an issue for the moment.

I cant believe Lantis hasnt come through with the notes on students from Red Fountain yet. Delia griped. Seriously that man is a nuisance.

Sos Minnie Mousey. Selia scoffed. Thank the Great Dragon shes not like her mom or shedve done the investigation herself. But I cant believe she tried to get info on us!

Would you hush up about it please? Delia ordered raising her voice to her twin. Really See, if you dont control your temper this plan will never work.

I dont see how itll work anyway. What are we doing? Research? Honestly Delia, if we want to get anywhere with our mission we have to quit the research crap and get aggressive.

On the first day of classes?

No, it can wait until after everyone gets into a routine. Selia replied with a smirk. I heard that we have a field trip to Black Mud Swamp in a few weeks. If we dont find one of those damned things soon- and I think you did already, but Lantis needs confirmation she air quoted the word, from his contacts to make sure of some things- well just have to take some action ourselves.

What kind of action?

Nothing too extreme, just a little distraction. The cannon fodder from Red Fountain will be joining us, I think I can cause some things to happen; with your help of course.

Fine. Delia replied giving into her sisters plan, which was probably influenced by her powers. Now enough of this paperwork I need to take Lugh for a walk.

Selia nodded. And I have to make a trip to Cloud Tower. Serafina wants to make sure Im not getting into trouble.

Yeah, we switch identities for one day so you can meet up with that second year from Iron Wood and all hell breaks loose. Delia replied shaking her head.

**Whew done!**

**Okay so please dont kill me for my lack of updating. I know I take a while, but I work a lot and havent watched Winx Club in a while. If anyone has seen the fourth season can you please fill me in? Thanks Oh yeah read and review please.**


	9. Fieldtrip of Discontent Prt 1

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer: We're all mad here. **

**Dedication All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great**

**Chapter Eight: Field Trip of Discontentment part one**

The weeks following up to the trip into Black Mud Swamp weren't kind to Selia, she'd managed to get detention at least twice from Ms Griselda because she was caught sneaking back into her room from trips to both Cloud Tower and Red Fountain to either recover or deliver information to Serafina and Lantis respectfully. However the information she gathered was useful, there was a good chance that Felicity did have the stone in her possession, now they just needed to take it then find out who had the sword and the mirror.

"Aurora, please don't tell me you're going to wear make up to go trekking through the woods." Felicity demanded as the blonde fairy began to painstakingly apply shimmery brown eyeshadow to her eyelids.

"Okay, I won't." Aurora replied with a smirk.

The freshmen herbology and botany classes were going to be going on the traditional trip into the Black Mud swamp to complete a two day course without the use of magic. Felicity had originally been pleased with the idea, until two things happened. The first was professor Palladium announcing that this year they'd be joined by some first and second year specialists which wasn't too much of an issue. The second announcement was the issue. They'd be paired into groups of four, and Felicity found much to her displeasure that she'd been put into a group with Gavin. It didn't matter that she'd also be with Aiyanna who shared her love of sports, or Minerva who for all her flightiness and day dreaming was a hard worker. She was paired with Gavin who was the bane of her existence. A fact she'd decided her second week in Magix when she'd gone to Red Fountain to pick up a book on magical weapons, the Alfea library was no help what so ever.

**_Flashback_**

"You'd think that with all the magic and technology at these peoples' disposal they'd have a better library system." Felicity muttered to herself as she made her way down the partially deserted library of Red Fountain. "I can't even find a decent book for research."

"That's because you're looking in the historical novel section." Came an all too familiar haughty voice.

Felicity turned to see the last person she'd want to see in either dimension. "Wow Gavin, I'd no idea you could read. Or were you just looking for dirty magazines and got lost as well?"

Gavin felt the blood rush to his face. "I was going to help you, but since you'd rather insult me maybe I should just go."

Felicity flushed, she didn't know why she always felt she had to prove something to this boy- after all she did save his life not the other way around. "Sorry, but I'm just so aggravated, professor Avalon, the real one not that one from like twenty-five or whatever years ago, wants us to do papers on magical items and I ended up with weapons."

"You couldn't just use your laptop?" Gavin asked with a smirk, he already knew what the answer to that was.

"Of course not. Parker and Preston messed with it so much trying to get it to work in this dimension that the damn thing just gave out! I couldn't even use it as a Frisbee." Felicity lamented as though she'd lost a dear friend. "And Alfea's library is sadly lacking in anything not fairy and friendly. So I had to come here."

"You mean you didn't come to see me?"

"Not in a thousand life times." Felicity snapped. "Just show me where I can find reference books and I'll gladly leave you to your delusions of grandeur."

"Follow me." Gavin ordered. He had no idea why she was so snarky towards him, but he wasn't going to let it bother him. "You'll never find it on your own." He added almost as an afterthought as he grabbed Felicity's wrist ignoring her yelps of protest and the pleasant warmth of her skin.

"Oh I wouldn't've found it on my own would I?" Felicity asked when after five minutes they were standing in front of the reference room, with a sign about three feet high advertising that fact. "It may as well have come with a bull horn."

"Don't be silly, this is just the light reading. Come with me." Gavin said still dragging along his unwilling companion.

"Now where are we going?"

"The back racks." Noticing Felicity's raised eyebrow he quickly added. "Not for _that_. But if you want information on some truly useful magical weapons, you have to know where to look."

"Why are you helping me?" Felicity wondered aloud as she finally tired of being dragged and decided to follow complacently next Gavin instead of a few paces behind.

"Just consider it thanks for saving my life." He said simply. 'Maybe if she gets a passing grade she'll stop being such a pain.' He added to himself.

"I thought you'd have to save my life to make up for that debt. And anyways I'd just about forgotten that incident."

"Great. Well, here, this should get you started." Gavin said handing Felicity a very large text book on magical weapons.

It was so heavy Felicity thought she'd fall over from the weight of it at first, but quickly righted herself. "Thanks, I'll come to you if I need a good massage or a day of rest after carting this back to Alfea."

"I'd gladly help you with either one." Gavin replied before he could stop himself.

"How about we just find a spell for that instead eh?" Felicity retorted looking down so he wouldn't see her face which Felicity was sure could rival a ripe tomato at that moment.

"You know you'd like it."

Felicity sighed loudly not knowing what else to say to that comment, "Just get me back to the entrance." She huffed.

**_End Flashback_**

Now three weeks later even with the constant stalking from the Red Fountain library system Felicity was still reluctant to venture to the military based school to return the book, and now she was forced to partner with Gavin for a project that counted for more than half her grade. The brunette scowled thinking of all the trouble Gavin had caused her and the first quarter wasn't even finished yet.

"Oh Fee, don't make such a face." Aurora scolded as she finished up her makeup and now stood in front of Felicity wearing the school issued knee length khaki shorts and olive drab camp shirt with a blue scarf over her hair and long blonde braid. "Gavin won't talk to you if your face freezes like that."

"Oh come on, you know dreams don't come true." Felicity scolded still scowling.

"Yeah if they did, I wouldn't be paired with Selia." Aurora sighed.

"Come on ladies, we're gonna miss the shuttle." Delia called interrupting the conversation. The darker blonde twin then pulled on her sister's belt loop dragging Selia out the door.

Half an hour later Felicity was standing with Aiyanna and Preston discussing quantum mechanics and the reasons why the twins should never be allowed near any more electronics from Earth while Gavin stood with Jayden, Lilith's brother, sneaking glances across the way at Selia who was sulking under a tree. The blue eyed blonde had even worse luck with groups than Felicity- she'd been paired with Aurora, Jayden and Parker. Aurora was definitely as upset with the arrangements as Selia was and kept shooting the other blonde dirty looks until Parker yanked on her braid and told her to play nice.

Delia was grouped with Samara Bryce and Preston, and as good as she was with concealing her emotions Felicity and Aurora could tell she wasn't thrilled being separated from her sister especially since the two of them hadn't bothered to look up from their mobile phones to see what else was going on because they were too busy texting each other. Every once in a while Jayden would nudge Ryan who was his roommate and smirk at how Gavin would switch from glancing at Selia to gazing at Felicity. Then of course there were the other misdeeds and issues from the other students gathered.

All this went one while professor Palladium, professor Mialei and the survival instructor from Red Fountain, professor Dean took turns explaining what was expected on the two day exercise.

"And now that you know how to survive in the woods you all may head off after I select a leader and hand him or her a map." Palladium concluded as the students found it in them to finally pay attention. This was to say only a small majority of the students really knew what they were up against and the rest had chosen to wing it.

"Students please get into your groups now." Professor Dean ordered in a voice that offered no argument.

Felicity and Aiyanna said their good-byes to the twins and followed Minerva over to where Gavin was standing.

"So nice of you to join me." Gavin griped. He wasn't happy to be the only guy in a group of girls, but the only stipulation of the excursive was that the groups were made up of two specialists and two fairies and Aiyanna was the other specialist.

"Not our choice Gavin." Aiyanna told the boy as Palladium came over and handed Minerva the map which she took with a shocked expression. Other groups who had received their maps began grabbing their gear. This was not going to be one of those easy 'point A to point B non magical field exercises'. Nope this was going to be an overnight camp out where you put your skills to the test. Management might not have changed much over the years at the magical schools, but the guidelines for graduation sure had.

"Might as well get this over with." Minerva said with a cough as she and Aiyanna went to get their group's gear.

"Are you two coming or are you going to stare off like two dogs fighting over the same bone?" Aiyanna demanded looking at Felicity and Gavin who were glaring at each other over the camping gear.

Felicity pulled herself together and grabbed a knapsack with a sleeping bag on it. "I was just about to do that Aiyanna" She lied with a smile as she joined Aiyanna and Minerva in figuring out the map.

Gavin shrugged and grabbed his own camping gear and headed out to the woods with the girls and other students embarking into the forest of Black Mud Swamp.

"Good luck man!" Ryan called over his shoulder as he turned a corner with his group.

"Yeah, you're gonna need it!" Bryce added with a smirk.

Two hours and five arguments later Gavin realized how close Bryce was to the truth. Minerva and Aiyanna both couldn't figure out the badly drawn map and Felicity was getting frustrated enough to scream when she stumbled over the exposed roots of a nearby tree and fell into Gavin's back.

"You really need to watch where you're going." Gavin shot at Felicity as though she'd bumped him on purpose.

"You shouldn't walk so close to me." Felicity spat back

Aiyanna looked nervously at her red haired friend. "I can't take much more of this, Min." She whispered wearily to Minerva. "Those two fight worse than an old married couple!"

"Yeah, if the married couple was a pair of ogres." Minerva agreed adding her two cents. It was becoming painfully obvious that there was no love lost between her roommate and Gavin. They kept bickering and Felicity looked like she'd gladly shove Gavin into the closest cluster of Quietus Carnivorous (1).

Aiyanna, hoping to dispel another argument and keep the two of them from coming to blows handed the map to Felicity. "Here, take this Fee, I can't handle the pressure." She said with mock severity.

Felicity took the map and pulled out the check list from the pocket of her shorts. "If I'm taking the map, then you have to take the checklist. I've never seen seventy-five percent of these plants." The brunette explained handing the list over to the taller girl with a smile. "I'm afraid I'd make a mistake and cost us a passing grade."

"I thought you were a plant expert Nature Girl." Gavin taunted. "Guess you're not as smart as you think you are."

"At least I'm smarter that you, but then again that isn't too hard." Felicity retorted.

"At least I wasn't the one who tried to find reference books in the historical fiction section at Red Fountain's library."

"And at least I wouldn't be dead if it weren't for me. I should've just let it eat you."

Aiyanna and Minerva didn't quite know what to say about that one, luckily or maybe not, Gavin did.

"Maybe I should've just let whatever that was take care of your mom." Gavin snapped back.

That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back for both Felicity and Aiyanna. While Minerva just stood there in shock, the black haired girl marched up and grabbed Felicity by the collar of her shirt and shoved Gavin back a few paces getting behind them.

"I've had it up to here with you two!" Aiyanna exclaimed holding one slender hand above her head, the other was still grasping Felicity's shirt. "You two are acting like toddlers instead of students at two of the top rated schools in Magix. Now I don't know what's gone on between you two and quite frankly I don't care. But Min and I shouldn't be subjected to your continued childish behavior."

"So whatcha gonna do about it Yan Yan?" Gavin asked looking down at his classmate with a smug grin. "Put me in time out."

"Even better, you two will finish the damn course by yourselves. Gavin, you have the same abilities as Isilee so you can contact us if things go wrong. But you both are giving me a damn headache and irking my nerves! The best way to cure that is to get rid of the two of you!"

"Aiyanna! You can't do this!" Felicity argued as Aiyanna pulled out a duplicate map and tore the list in two. "I'll go mad."

"At least for you it's a short trip." Gavin commented, still not grasping that his actions were partially to blame for the outcome now taking place.

"Well at least you won't be taking us with you." Aiyanna replied placing a calming hand on Felicity's shoulder. "It's just for the rest of today and tonight anyway. We'll meet at that large tree on the map." She added pointing out the large cluster of trees near one of the rendezvous points Professor Dean had selected.

"Fine." Felicity sighed resigned to the fact she'd be spending over twelve hours with the bane of her existence. "I guess I can do this."

"I know you can, now no blood, or we all fail. Come on Min."

Minerva took one nervous glance from Gavin to Felicity and waved. In her humble opinion it served them right to be on their own for once, she wasn't about to tell either of them, but they were giving her a migraine too. "See you both in the morning. Do try not to kill one another. It'll reflect badly on the schools."

After Aiyanna and Minerva had turned the corner and disappeared behind the brush Felicity leaned against one of the trees and began to read the map not looking at her sole team mate.

"Shouldn't we keep walking?" Gavin asked looking over Felicity's shoulder at the map.

"You can walk into the swamp for all I care." Felicity commented "Please back up you're in my bubble."

"Why are you so antagonistic?"

"Ooh big word. I can ask you the same thing Gavin. You don't even know me and you always seem to want to go off on me."

"You do the same thing. Even when I tried helping you a few weeks ago you were ready to bite my head off." Gavin reminded her.

"I think it's your energy." Felicity said simply as she folded the map up and put it in her back pocket. "Not that I believe half of what they teach us at Alfea but this is how it goes."

"How what goes?" Gavin demanded.

Felicity shrugged. "You come off as someone who's looking for a fight and I guess I'm just the one to give it to you."

"Hardly. You couldn't take me on if your life depended on it."

Felicity shuddered at that comment. Not that she was superstitious or was even afraid of Gavin, but she didn't like to think about physically fighting anyone. Verbal sparring was more than enough for her. "Let's just make sure it never comes to that and focus on getting some of this done before we have to make camp for the night shall we?"

"Sounds like a plan." Gavin agreed already shaking out his sleeping bag. "Then you can get firewood while I dig the pit and set the tents."

Felicity sighed resigned to not argue for the rest of the night. "Fine, but after that you get to haul the water while I figure out what we've accomplished and what we've learned today. Palladium's suggestion"

You could've knocked Gavin over with a feather when Felicity agreed to what he'd asked although she had told him what he could do, but in his mind it was more like a compromise. Too bad it couldn't last past starting a fire.

**_To be continued in chapter ten…_**

**Okay so another chapter is done and this is probably the longest one yet. I still need to figure out exactly what I'm plotting next, suggestions are appreciated and I give credit.**

**1.) You remember those plants? The ones that couldn't stand noise? Yeah I thought so.**


	10. Fieldtrip of Discontent Prt 2

**A Place in This World**

** Note: The italics and bad spelling together are texts. That is all.**

** Disclaimer: When I regain consciousness, remind me to maim you **

** Dedication All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great. **

**Chapter Nine: Field Trip of Discontentment part two**

A few hours had passed since Aiyanna and Minerva had separated from Gavin and Felicity. The sun had begun to make its decent into the western sky and the two girls along with many of their other classmates scattered through the Black Mud Swamp only a few meters from each other- as was planned out by the professors and heads of the two schools- had begun to set up their campsites. In the section of woods that was being used as a campsite by Minerva and Aiyanna the two girls had decided to split up tasks- this was mostly Aiyanna's idea because Minerva wasn't much of a planner.

"Do you really think leaving those two alone is a good idea?" Minerva asked her friend as the two of them began to set up camp. Aiyanna had just come back from collecting some firewood which gave the carrot haired fairy of powers to be determined time to set up the tent and wonder about what was going on at Felicity and Gavin's campsite.

"Of course it was." Aiyanna defended as she dropped the small logs on the ground then knelt to position five of them in the pit Minerva had dug. "I was about to strangle both of them! I'm not the least bit sorry of how we got rid of them."

"What's with this _we_ stuff?" Minerva asked as she pulled out the box of matches that had been placed in the pack she'd been given. "It was _your_ idea."

"Yeah, but you were thinking it." Aiyanna pointed out as she struck the match that Minerva had handed her and started the camp fire.

Minerva nodded her head and grinned at her friend. "Wouldn't it be cute if Gavin and Felicity wound up falling for each other and it was all because of us?"

Aiyanna sighed and pushed a few of her twist braids out of her face and tucking them back under her teal bandana. "You never give up on your romantic notions, do you?" She asked with a knowing look in her dark grey eyes.

"Never!" Minerva declared with a grin. Then another thought occurred to the carrot haired girl. "Hey Aiyanna?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think Fee and Gavin'll do when they find out they only have one tent to themselves?"

Aiyanna smirked at her friend as she began to unroll their tent. "I don't know, but I kinda wish I was there to see it."

Minerva giggled. "So do I, but at the same time I hope they'll believe us that we forgot about the tent problem."

"Exactly, except we didn't forget." Aiyanna laughed pushing her twisted braids back from her face.

"Serves them right. Now let's get this tent set up so we can start cooking. All this plotting made me hungry."

While Minerva and Aiyanna were going on about how annoying their two absentee group members were Selia was busy texting Delia out of boredom and the fact that no matter what anyone threatened she wasn't about to carry firewood or pitch a tent.

_I hope we can get some action soon._ Selia typed out while partially hidden behind a large shrub. _All this waiting makes me antsy. Can't we least attack sum1 just for the Hell of it?_

Selia was anxious to do something with their plans instead of just talking about them, she was a woman of action and hated to sit around and wait. Besides that personality flaw there was also the fact that the spell that she and her sisters had to cast and the actions that they had to take to resurrect the dark priestess who was sealed by the Dark Root Coven and find the spell to unseal her in that coven's book of shadows- let alone find the stupid thing Lantis had announced more than one much to Serafina's ire- had to be done at a very precise moment and time was running out.

For one thing they had no idea where the book was located and they wouldn't unless they could find all three items that would show the way to the book and the one person who could read the book and understand the spells. Then of course there was that _other_ plan of Lantis' that Delia wasn't too sure of, but Selia was all for it if it meant more power. Who cared if people could get hurt sacrifices for power were necessary evils as far as she was concerned.

Their coven had only stumbled on the stone in Felicity's necklace because Lantis had been sure that Samara of Eraklyon had the sword of the great ruler they needed and followed her to Earth on the flame haired specialist's journey to Red Fountain. The other item after the sword was the mirror of truth. The three items would show the way to the book of shadows. Then they needed to find the person who could control the magic. Only then could the three girls and Lantis complete their final mission.

Selia was almost certain that Aurora had the mirror, but Serafina insisted that like the other items it would be held by someone unexpected. Even the person they were looking for would be someone unexpected.

Selia growled when she thought about how Serafina had added that being hasty would lead to disaster and checked the message from Delia

_Fina believes she may have a lead to the next item. _Selia read, _& w/ so many ppl around don't pick a fight pls. 3 D_

Selia fought the urge to scream as she began to text her sister back, but she'd no sooner hit reply to start a new message when Aurora popped up behind her.

"You're not hiding from Parker's chore list are you?" The blonde princess asked as she made herself comfortable on a patch of grass next to Selia. "Or are you still texting Delia?"

"No, I'm not." Selia replied wishing Aurora would take the hint and leave her alone.

Instead Aurora tilted her head and spied Selia's mobile phone prepped to send a new message to her twin. "You two really talk way too much to each other and not enough to anyone else."

"I don't see how who I talk to any of your business." The blue eyed blonde snapped back glaring angrily at Aurora. The two girls had an uneasy unacknowledged truce between them issued by the other three members of their suite. Selia knew that Aurora wasn't a fan of sharing a common area and a handful of classes including this project with her. She was more than eager to show Aurora that the feeling was mutual.

"Well, it's not." Aurora admitted sheepishly. "But it just seems a bit suspicious if you ask me."

"I really don't know what you mean and besides no one did ask you if we were suspicious or not!"

"I'd say the opposite is true since you're getting so defensive over it." Aurora countered standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Selia demanded in a threatening tone standing up and getting toe to toe with Aurora. This time there weren't any sisters or friends to stop either of them if this argument became more physical and less verbal. Selia grinned icily thinking of finally getting some aggression out no matter in the price.

"Not in so many words." Aurora allowed narrowing her dark brown eyes at Selia. "But ever since you got to Alfea you and your sister have been acting odd. I'm just saying that if you are up to anything then you'd better stop it before it gets out of hand."

"And who's going to make me? You?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

In all fairness to Aurora what happened next was a sneak attack, as she turned to leave Selia shoved her from behind and tackled her. But Aurora wasn't Artemisea's sister for nothing and she fought back by scratching Selia's cheek and forehead. Selia retaliated by punching Aurora's nose. Soon the ruckus brought Parker and Jayden running through the bushes to pull the two girls apart.

"What's all this about?" Parker demanded as he dragged Selia away from Aurora.

"Yeah, if you two were gonna start a chick fight, you could've at least told us ahead of time." Jayden added holding on to Aurora's shoulders.

"Nothing really." Selia replied dismissively. "Aurora just thinks that I'm up to something."

"Which you are!" Aurora shouted back. "You attacked me first!"

"You're freaking me out!" Selia cried sounding frightened but still angry. "I was just defending myself."

"Looks like you did a good job of it too." Jayden commented dryly as he inspected Aurora's face. "C'mon Rora let's get you cleaned up. My dad even showed me a spell that'll fix up your nose."

"My _nose_!" Aurora sobbed for once sounding like her mom as she reached up and felt her hair which had been dislodged from her braid. "And my hair too!" She pouted.

"I don't have a spell for that, but I'm sure you have a brush and a mirror."Jayden reasoned. "Parker, can you take care of Selia?"

"Sure thing." Parker called back. "C'mon Selia let's see what we can do about your face." The red haired specialist then began to lead the older blonde to an opposite side of camp.

"Hey Aurora," Selia called, her voice as sweet as poison stopping the princess in her tracks. Jayden turned to look too. "You know that there's a princess from an Earth story with your name? Sleeping Beauty I believe the story is."

"Yes, what of it?"

"Well, if you don't stay out of my business, as unthreatening as it is, you'll find yourself in the same predicament, but no prince will be able to wake you up."

Aurora felt her face pale she wasn't used to threats-at least not serious ones – so she wasn't sure how to reply. "Uh, okay." She practically whispered.

"Just thought you might want to keep that in mind, _Princess_ Aurora." Selia told her with a cold laugh.

"Rora, don't pay attention to that girl. She's just trying to rattle you." Jayden whispered then turning back to his battle buddy he used a louder tone. "Parker, get Selia fixed up too. If we come back to the professors tomorrow with these two looking like they got into a rumble we'll fail for sure."

Meanwhile in another part of the woods Felicity was slowly losing a battle with the tent she was trying to set up. At the brink of her frustration Felicity tossed one of the poles in a fit, where it lodged itself in the ground a meter from Gavin's foot.

"That was quite a throw." Gavin commented wryly as he retrieved the pole from where it was quivering in the dirt.

"Thanks I guess." Felicity replied looking up from the mess of a tent, she was caught off guard by Gavin's offhanded compliment. "I was on the Track and Field team back at my school on Earth."

"That sounds fun. I guess." Gavin replied as he knelt down to start their campfire.

"It was we actually made it to the sectionals, but we only came in second so we couldn't go to state (1)." Felicity admitted with a wistful smile. "I really miss everything. The excitement before a meet. The adrenaline rush. My friends…. My old life." The brunette paused and frowned down at the disobedient tent poles poking through the lumpy fabric. Then she heaved a sigh.

"I was out doing research for my project for my AP biology class when I ran into Samara and that guy with the black hair. The project would've helped me on my college applications." Felicity looked up at Gavin. "I used to have a future that I wanted; now all I have is something that was forced on me."

"Oh." Was all Gavin could think to say at first. He wasn't sure what Felicity had wanted from her venting or if she really expected a reply. But Gavin felt that she should try to say something helpful. Sadly it wasn't very well thought out.

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a bit?" He asked looking back at Felicity. "You've only been here for two weeks."

Felicity just shrugged.

"Besides," Gavin continued, "if you're as smart as you seem to be saying you are then shouldn't you be able to put up a tent?"

It seemed to Gavin like a logical question, but Felicity wasn't interested in being logical at that moment. Picking up the discarded directions and most of the stakes and poles, the brunette stalked over to where Gavin was sitting.

"Here, if you think you can do a better job than me, then by all means have at it." she snapped as she dropped the whole mess into the indigo eyed boy's lap and getting dirt and grass all over his cargo shorts. "I'll be over here working on our part of the notes for this project." With that Felicity sat herself in the grass and pulled a small notebook from the side pocket of her cargo shorts and began writing leaving Gavin with nothing to do but begin setting up the tent.

Twenty minutes and some colorful language later Gavin was in the same predicament Felicity was in with the exception of half the tent up with the poles poking halfheartedly through the nylon. The structure looked like a crushed half moon instead of an easy up dome tent that was shown in the directions.

"This is so stupid!" Gavin exclaimed in frustration throwing down a stake and causing the half of the tent that was up to collapse. "Why'd the professors send us out with such outdated equipment?"

Felicity looked up from her notes at the commotion her unwilling partner was causing. "So you can't do any better?" She asked slyly as she stood up and brushed the dirt and grass from her shorts.

"Guess not." Gavin answered in an aggravated tone of voice. "Looks like we'll be sleeping right under the stars tonight. And I'm no better than you at this."

"Well in your defense I have been more than a little high strung." Felicity offered by way of apology, holding her hand out to Gavin. "Truce?"

Gavin nodded. "Truce." He repeated giving Felicity's offered hand a brief but firm shake. "Now let's get to work."

"I'll read and you set up." Felicity stated picking up the discarded directions. "Looks like it might help if you smooth out the fabric first and lay it flat."

"Sounds good, but if this thing falls again we're breaking the no magic rule."

Shaking her head Felicity got started helping Gavin set up the tent and with the two of them in a calmer mood it only took ten minutes and resembled a tent.

"That's much better." Gavin allowed as he stepped back to survey his handiwork.

"Yes." Felicity said as she nodded her head in agreement. "It seems that despite your complete lack of social skills you can put up a tent." She added dryly.

"Okay, so where's the other one?"

"The other one of what?" Felicity asked confused.

"The other tent of course. Professor Mialei and Professor Dean handed out two tents to every team including ours." Gavin explained slowly.

"That may be true, but we still only have one tent. Not two. Minerva and Aiyanna must've kept the other one when we split up."

"You mean when they ditched us." Gavin corrected sounding a bit nervous.

"Actually I like your version better. However that doesn't create another tent so what do we do now?"

"I think it's obvious, you sleep in the tent and I sleep outside near the campfire."

Felicity wouldn't've been more surprised if the flames from the fire had begun singing folk songs. Gavin was being civil to her, it was disarming. "Say what?" She asked shocked.

"You take the tent." Gavin repeated.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. What kind of man takes shelter when a lady doesn't have any?"

Felicity braced herself against a tree to keep from falling over at that comment before realizing that since Gavin was attending Red Fountain he probably had to take c lass on chivalry. In fact considering that this was Gavin he probably had to take the remedial class on chivalry if there was such a thing.

'It's not as if he really means what he says.' Felicity told herself, 'I'll just nip this in the bud now. "Thanks, but…" she began

"You're welcome. Besides Aiyanna would kick my ass if she found out I'd made you sleep outside instead of at least offering." Gavin interrupted trying to convince her that his kindness wasn't as free as he wanted it to seem. Even though it was, Gavin may have been obstinate, but he wasn't hard hearted.

"As I was saying, thanks, but the tent's big enough for both of us. We should be able to share the space without much trouble." Felicity watched in amusement as her cobalt eyed companion's face went from slightly tan to bleach white in a matter of seconds.

"_Share_ the tent? Are you sure?" Gavin nearly squeaked. "You're a guy I'm a girl. I mean _I'm_ a _guy_ and _you're_ a girl."

Felicity chuckled at his mix up. "I'm well aware of our genders thank you very much." The brunette asserted. "But yes I'm quite sure and don't worry, the sea of raging hormones has ebbed. You're safe from being ravaged by me."

"Okay then I mean this shouldn't be a big deal right?" Gavin replied grateful that the setting sun hid his blush. He was also grateful that Felicity seemed mature enough to handle the situation, he was sure that no other female student except for maybe Aiyanna or his sister Isilee could be so calm about sharing a tent with a guy she hardly knew.

"Besides we at least still have two sleeping bags." He added hopefully.

"We'd better. Or I'm going to learn to be a fairy just to get even with those two for this stunt." Felicity replied in a threatening tone.

After confirming and reconfirming that there were indeed two sleeping bags in their packs and cooking a rather burnt dinner since neither party had much experience with cooking over an open fire Felicity none too subtly suggested that Gavin find somewhere else to be besides near the tent so she could change for bed.

"Twenty minutes should suffice." Felicity called out after Gavin had finally agreed deciding to go get water.

"_Twenty minutes_?" Gavin repeated incredulously. "You just have to what, throw on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts? That should just take five minutes."

"Okay fine, fifteen, but that's my final offer. I need some alone time and I'll do the same for you."

Gavin shrugged but did as he was told and fifteen minutes later Felicity did the same for him. By the time she got back though it was too dark to do anything else but put out the fire and get into their sleeping bags.

"So what do we do now? Tell ghost stories or play truth or dare?" Gavin asked after settling down in his sleeping bag.

"Well as tempting as daring you to do something I could blackmail you for sounds, I'm not interested." Felicity retorted. "As for ghost stories, I doubt you could scare me."

"Don't be so sure. "Gavin countered cryptically. "The stories my mom used to tell me used to chill me."

"Oh my dear illusioned young man, my mom was always trying to scare me with stories of some witches and the Dark Circle. Ghost stories are just fairy tales made to keep children in line." She scoffed.

"But you're a fairy."

"That statement is still up for debate. Until you see me sprout wings and flutter around I'm still a normal girl with some unexplainable issues."

"If you say so." Gavin replied sounding unsure. "But I believe there's more to you than even you realize."

"Well, I do." Felicity snapped back ignoring the other comment. She didn't even want to get close to tackling that one after the trying day they'd had. "And I believe we should try to get some sleep now because in the morning we have to catch up with Aiyanna and Minerva to finish this exercise."

"Yeah, you're right about that."

"And with you reading the map it'll take us most of the morning to find them."

Gavin ignored that last jab. "Goodnight Lissie." He told his reluctant tent mate.

"Night." Felicity replied unsure how to react to the nickname. She closed her eyes and willed sleep to come; it was hard enough for her sleeping on the ground even with the magic infused sleeping bag which made the user feel as though she was sleeping on a feather bed. However with Gavin just a meter away from her, sleep was downright impossible. Plus the foggy childhood memories and Felicity's oddity about not being able to fall into a deep sleep in a strange place for the first two nights just made being restful difficult for the girl.

Gavin on the other hand was an expert on adaptability thanks to years of experience sleeping on a tour bus then schlepping from place to place before his dad started working as a teacher first at Iron Wood then at Red Fountain after his mom died. He was out in five minutes.

Felicity had finally fallen into a dreamless sleep after doing the meditation which Minerva had shown her- most likely after being kept awake by her roommate's constant thrashing about and shouting in her sleep. She'd sprawled facedown in her sleeping bag near three in the morning which how Gavin found her when he decided to try shaking her awake. Still in a state of being half awake in strange surroundings, Felicity swung her left arm up into Gavin's face as she turned on her side.

"What'd you do that for?" Gavin asked angrily, his voice muffled by his hands over his face.

"Huh? What?" Felicity replied in a groggy voice as she sat up and saw Gavin holding his nose as his dark blue eyes began to tear.

"I think you broke my nose." Gavin stated. "What'd you do that for?"

Felicity stared at her injured tent mate with a confused look on her face. "Do what? Did you hurt yourself?"

That's when it dawned on Gavin that Felicity wasn't exactly among the intelligent first thing in the morning. "No you hurt me! You punched me in the face!" He exclaimed.

"Men are such babies." Felicity sighed unzipping her sleeping bag and standing up to stretch. "So now what?"

"We should probably get dressed and then meet up with Aiyanna and Minerva at the rendezvous point they chose."

"Sounds logical." Felicity agreed. "So what are we standing around here for?"

After repeating last night's privacy ritual and helping pack up camp Felicity and Gavin had a quick breakfast then headed off in the direction of where they'd meet up with Aiyanna and Minerva. Aiyanna had been nice enough to mark off the place with a circle before she'd walked away with Minerva and written that they'd be there by ten o'clock. From that meeting place they'd finish the exercise as a group and hopefully none of the professors would be any wiser to last night's deviation.

Gavin and Felicity had been walking non-stop for an hour and a half when Felicity decided it was time to take a short break. She sat down on a fallen log and pulled her water bottle from her pack taking a long drink.

"What are we stopping for?" Gavin demanded as he turned around to see Felicity sitting. "It's nine forty."

"And it's about twenty-five Celsius (2) already." Felicity shot back taking another gulp of water. "I had no idea it could get so humid here either. I figured we could just finish the paperwork of the project then go on after that."

"But I thought you'd done that last night. There's really stuff left that we can do without Min and Yan Yan?"

"I think so." Felicity replied as she began to dig through her bag for their half of the notes and found a folder that professor Mialei had tucked in there entitled; **Group C: Minerva, Aiyanna, Felicity and Gavin.** She opened it and found four stapled packets about rating your teammates' performances and the project as a whole. It seems that this was both school's first inter-school over night project. "This is it." The brunette stated holding up her and Gavin's papers. "The professors want our opinions on one another. Oh and this whole deal."

"Our opinions on each other?" Gavin asked in disbelief. "And their first experiment with both schools."

"Yep, me thinks we be guinea pigs for our teachers. There are three separate questions for each individual's attitude and performance."

"Joy." Gavin muttered thinking about how he and Felicity could comment on each other's attitudes along with what Aiyanna could say about the two of them.

"Heh, I bet Aurora's already amusing herself with adjectives about Selia's attitude and performance." Felicity giggled knowingly. It was a known fact between all three schools that neither girl had any love lost between the two of them.

Gavin laughed as well. "Not only did Selia's loud headwear and accessories keep myself and the forest from sleeping through the night," the burgundy haired boy began in a plumy falsetto tone imitating the Solarian blonde. "But she was so unforgivably vulgar and lazy that she made me look like a hard worker. Furthermore her personality is offensive to all and she should advertise herself as a vacuum because she sucks the fun out of everything."

Felicity laughed as Gavin finished his impression of her friend, but then brought herself under control. "That was accurate to a point. But I don't think it's fair to expect Aurora to always be such a hard worker, she isn't used to it like we are because of her upbringing.

Gavin shrugged. "So what are you going to say about me?"

"You're not nearly as annoying and abominable as I thought you were." Felicity admitted. "You are hard to get along with, don't get me wrong. But you aren't as bad as you could be."

"Gee thanks." Gavin replied shortly.

"So, what are you going to say about me?"

Gavin pretended to be deep in thought before he answered. "Felicity would be better off ambushing an enemy with the tent poles instead of using them for their intended purpose. Her cooking skills are only matched by her conversation."

"Thanks so much Gavin." Felicity snapped forgetting that she'd given him a backhanded compliment just minutes ago. She stood up and started walking away.

"I wasn't finished yet." Gavin called as he hurried to catch up.

Felicity turned and rolled her eyes in response.

"However she is good at thinking things out and I wouldn't mind having her on my squad. Provided that she didn't boss me around all the time."

"Well from you I'll have to take that as a compliment won't I?" Felicity said kindly, she was glad her back was to Gavin so he couldn't see her blush. "I guess I could also say that you're dependable and you're respectful of others. I wouldn't mind working with you again either."

"Wee! My plan worked!" Minerva exclaimed jumping out from behind a pine tree and startling Felicity so badly that the brunette girl leaped into Gavin's arms causing the carrot haired fairy to grin like a Cheshire cat.

"Minnie! How?! Why?" Felicity sputtered too shocked to be articulate or come up with complete sentences.

Gavin however wasn't suffering from the same affliction. "What the hell are you doing sneaking up on us like that?" the cobalt eyed specialist demanded as he released Felicity and began shaking his finger at Minerva.

"Why, meeting up with you guys like Anna and I said we would." Minerva replied trying to sound innocent but smirking at the same time. "So, how was last night?" She asked flashing a smug grin at Felicity.

Felicity in turn emitted a low growl causing Gavin to back away from her in case she decided to power up or at the very least sling a few vines.

"That bad huh?"

"Of course it was bad you dingbat!" Felicity shouted confirming Minerva's guess. Evidently she was over being shocked. "We only had _one_ tent! The next time the two of you consider to take it upon yourselves to help two parties involved in a conflict please reconsider! You're supposed to separate people who can't get along, not force them together! Honestly what kind of ass backward planets are the two of you from anyway?"

Aiyanna who'd arrived on the scene just behind Minerva snickered at the scene Felicity was making causing everyone to look at her. "Looks like no one was too thrilled with your little experiment eh Min?" the cocoa skinned girl asked sounding amused.

"_My_ experiment?" Minerva shot back. "_You're_ the one who decided to ditch them in the first place." The red head reminded her friend who was having a convenient lapse of memory.

"Yeah that's right." Gavin agreed heading over towards his battle buddy. "And I bet you knew that we only had two tents per group too."

"Maybe _we_ did." Aiyanna admitted not sounding the least bit ashamed of that bit of knowledge or for her part in Felicity and Gavin's predicament last night.

Minerva glared at her friend. "But you two deserved it after annoying us by fighting like an old married couple!" she added defending their decision. "And hey at least it worked. The two of you aren't fighting anymore."

"Not exactly." Felicity admitted looking straight at Gavin. "But at least we aren't trying to kill each other anymore."

"Except for this morning when you punched me in the face." Gavin pointed out.

"You startled me!" Felicity retorted with her hands on her hips. "I happen to be a very heavy sleeper."

"You should've come to Red Fountain instead of Alfea. You'd've excelled at hand to hand combat."

Aiyanna and Minerva both exchanged worried glances not knowing what was about to happen. But instead of a heated retort Felicity smiled.

"You really think so?" She asked

Gavin nodded his eyes wide with shock and surprise. "Well, yeah. If you can hit that well half asleep at an odd angle imagine what you could do when you're wide awake and standing up."

"Thanks."

Aiyanna gave Minerva a confused look and Minerva stuck out her tongue. "What exactly happened between the two of you last night?" Aiyanna wondered looking at Felicity and Gavin as if they were exotic unpredictable animals instead of two of her friends.

"Nothing really. Lissie just learned to relax a bit more." Gavin explained giving the brunette a friendly punch on her upper arm.

Felicity rolled her eyes at the nickname, but still smiled. "And Gavin proved that he wasn't a complete sociopath." She added returning the punch in a not so gentle manner causing Gavin to wince.

"Well, that's promising." Minerva said trying not to sound too disappointed that there wasn't a romance novel ending to her and Aiyanna's payback for having to put up with their disruptions most of yesterday.

"So, can we finish as a group or are you two gonna induce a joint migraine by sounding like crabby old ladies again?" Aiyanna demanded narrowing her grey eyes at Gavin.

"I guess we can be persuaded to behave ourselves." Felicity allowed.

"Yeah the sooner we're finished the sooner we can get back to school." Gavin agreed.

**_Thus ends my tale in the woods_**

**Okay, over a month of planning and writing and about twenty pages. I hope you all enjoyed it. As one of my residents keeps shouting Happy New Year!**

**1.) ****A little fact- there is a town called Gardenia in southern California. I know this from a personal experience that I don't want to bring up. So I'm just going to have Felicity have been raised in the States which also fits since that's where I'm from**

**2.) ****I'm using the metric system because that's just what everyone else uses except for the States. 25 Celsius is about 78 Farenheight **


	11. On a Mission

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** I have a dream- and in it something eats you.**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient. You guys are great. Also special thanks to Spy46 for helping me with the first part of this chapter.**

**Chapter Ten: On a Mission**

It was a Friday afternoon two weeks after Aiyanna and Minerva had contrived to teach Gavin and Felicity a lesson in manners and the princess of Andros was still paying for neglecting to remember that each group only received two tents. Gavin didn't care that their group got the second highest grade after Aurora's team or that he should just shut up and be grateful that Aiyanna had left them each a sleeping bag. He just cared that Aiyanna had knowingly put him in an awkward situation, and had been going out of his way to do the same to her. So as Gavin's battle buddy Aiyanna decided to pound some sense into the magenta haired boy's head the only way she knew how, his own father's end of the week class challenge.

It should be said that while Riven was indeed a hot head all through school and that he was spelled for most of his first year, he was also a very good student. Especially in Cordatorta's battle tactics classes. Riven also had spent five years training and teaching at Ironwood (1) a small elite school for warriors on Mirta's home planet of Ogmios (2) directed by Mirta's husband Loric. So he was quite adept in teaching difficult lessons in an expert manner- and very creative much to most of his students' including his son's ire. Professor Riven's end of the week class challenges were nothing short of a test of endurance.

Aiyanna carried out her plan with the help of Riven and Loric during the last period class- neither teacher knew it at the time. Today's end of the week review session was held outside on the hand to hand training grounds, the goal was to show that the students had learned their lesson of the week which learning their battle buddy's strengths and weaknesses. The students would then show how well they'd been paying attention in class and get feedback on their usage of their knowledge.

As fate would have it Aiyanna and Gavin were still battle buddies and since there was an odd number of students in the first year classes Samara had managed to be Gavin's second. When Riven was busy talking with Jayden and Lilith's father Loric who was another instructor about some recent intrusion into students' rooms, Aiyanna started to have trouble getting her bola to work properly- or at least that's how it seemed to Gavin. As good of a fighter as she was, Gavin was physically stronger than Aiyanna because he was a guy, so she had taken special care to take not of his weaknesses- especially how he became overly confident during the end of a battle that seemed to be going his way.

Aiyanna looked around to make sure she was being watched by a few other students and kept her guard up just in case Gavin had seen through her ruse and would be able to block her bola with his shield or knock it out of the way with his short sword. Those were the consequences that had to be considered when you were trying to lure an opponent into a false sense of security in a one on one battle.

Chancing a quick glance at Gavin's face, Aiyanna could tell that Gavin was indeed fooled by her sloppy throws and wasn't moving his legs as much as he had been. Grinning, she threw the dual stringed weapon in a perfect low arc aiming right for Gavin's lower legs. It caught Gavin around his ankles by surprise, causing him to fall backwards as other classmates turned to point and giggle.

"What was that for?" Gavin sputtered as he sat up and began to untangle Aiyanna's bola from around his legs.

Aiyanna shrugged. "Just proof that I paid attention in class." She stated smartly. "And that you need to cancel your issues with me. That was two weeks ago."

Gavin just shrugged and threw the bola to the side where it landed at Loric's feet. Loric picked the bola up and handed it back to Aiyanna.

"Aiyanna that was a good job." Riven commented as he and Loric made their way over to the students. "But that wasn't necessarily the best way to go after a larger opponent in a one on one situation. You never know if your adversary may give all he or she has in a final blow."

"Yes, professor." Aiyanna replied sounding chastised. "I guess I just let the safety of my surroundings cloud my judgment."

"Yes, and that can lead to more dire situations." Loric put in looking from Aiyanna to Gavin. "Riven, I'd suggest that next week's lesson should be about not getting too comfortable in a situation and the consequences."

Riven looked over at his colleague with one eyebrow raised. "Yes, I believe I'll do that." Then Riven turned to his son. "Gavin, next time try not to let your confidence blind you to your opponent's ingenuity- or the fact that she may have been training in secret with her new weapon. Class dismissed."

Gavin colored bright red and made his way back to his room. He'd have to decide later whether to drop the battle with Aiyanna over the field exercise at Black Mud Swamp or keep at it until one of them got suspended. He guessed that if he asked one of his roommates they'd tell him to drop it before someone- likely him- got hurt.

"Hey, Aiyanna, are we still going over to Cloud Tower to watch movies with Lilith and Isilee tonight?" Samara asked catching up with her friend on their way back to the dorm rooms

"As far as I know, yes," Aiyanna answered as she and a few other students waited for the elevators. "Unless you've other plans." She added with a questioning look.

"Hardly." Samara sighed as she shoved a flame colored strand of hair out her eyes. "Jayden doesn't even know I'm alive, besides I think he has a thing for Rora. From the way Parker talks about our field training experiment I'm right."

The darker haired girl shook her head, she didn't understand her friend's sudden interest in Lilith's younger brother and how it'd turned her formerly confident tomboyish friend into a paranoid bundle of crazy.

"Sama, just get in the elevator so we can finish our homework before we head to Cloud Tower." Aiyanna finally stated as the elevator doors opened. "We can worry about your relationship stuff later."

Samara nodded and followed her friend in taking a whiff of her dark blue t-shirt she wore during training classes. "And maybe we should throw ourselves in the showers too so the heart of Cloud Tower won't toss us off the paths."

"Sounds like a good idea." Aiyanna agreed as she pinched her nose.

Two hours later over at Cloud Tower Lilith was trying to finish her essay for the pros and cons of using dark magic for a binding spell for her Magical Theories class when Isilee bounced into their room, her magenta and indigo braids slapping her back like the reins on a horse.

"Guess what I've got!" She sang out as Lilith turned to look at her. "Our mail from home- _finally_!"

"Thank you for that anticlimactic ending." Lilith groaned. "Now if you don't mind, I want to get this essay finished before the others get here for the movie thing." She turned back to the desktop computer perched on the antique roll top desk in their shared study cubby surrounded by sheet music and dragon sculptures.

"Fine, then I guess you don't want whatever it is your mom sent you." Isilee taunted in her melodic voice. "This is quite a shame because it looks like a very heavy box."

"My mom sent me something?" Lilith asked puzzled. Since her dad was still substituting at Red Fountain until the end of next week to help with some new curriculum that he and Riven were introducing, Mirta had been running their school back home- actually Lilith's father's school, but since Mirta was good with business- Loric had placed her in charge. So Mirta had been too busy to send anything more than brief text messages. If she needed anything, Lilith just made a call over to Red Fountain to get in touch with her dad or with her brother Jayden.

"Yeah, and it looks more interesting than what I got." Isilee fairly pouted when Lilith turned in her desk chair to look at her long time friend. "My loving father just sent me a gift card to Zeller's for underpants!" The music witch tossed the card onto her wine colored comforter where it mixed in with the song sheets and potion books.

"It's better than when he tried to send tampons." The illusion witch soothed. "I think he's starting to improve- it's been two years."

"I know I should cut him some slack. The mail's getting better and grandpa Hobo sent me some new guitar strings. Ugh, anyways let's cut the emotional crap and you show me what your mom sent."

Lilith shrugged, neither Isilee nor Gavin ever wanted to talk about their mom's death, but it wasn't her place or her personality to pressure someone into talking. Instead Lilith flipped her two small beaded braids out of her face and walked over to her bed where Isilee had placed the box.

"Okay, I was hoping to get my lap top." She finally replied with a grin opening the box and beginning to empty it of its contents. Out came a tin of brownies- obviously from a box, but hey it was the thought that counted and a framed picture of Lilith's grumpy grey tabby cat Olivia. Next was crumpled newspaper to keep everything from breaking and Lilith's long awaited lap top.

"All that for just a tin of brownies, a five by seven of your cantankerous cat, and a new laptop?" Isilee asked incredulously as she helped herself to one of the brownies. "I guess your mom really is busy at Iron Wood."

"Guess so." Lilith replied uncertainly as she sifted through the paper. When she began to remove the rest of the crumpled paper, Lilith's hands hit something solid "That's odd." She commented as she picked up the object and pulled it out from the bottom of the box. It looked to be a book of shadows (3) and from the writings and spells on its pages, it was an old one.

"What's odd Lil?"

"My mom sent me a Book of Shadows. A_ used_ Book of Shadows."

"That's more than odd." Isilee corrected coming over to inspect the book. It wasn't that remarkable, just old. The cover was battered brown leather and the pages were yellowed with age. The only remarkable thing that Lilith could see when she opened the book up for a better inspection was some fancy handwriting in dark green ink.

"We're part of a story, part of a tale." Lilith read as Isilee peeked over her shoulder. "Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane. No one remembers how it began." (4)

"Okay now that was odd, it would make a beautiful song, but it's still odd. It makes no sense." Isilee commented reaching for another brownie, Lilith slapped her hand away from the tin. "Is there a name?" She asked reaching out to touch the book which seemed to glow as her hand came closer, Isilee withdrew her hand.

"Melisande. And I think the lines make some sense." (5) Lilith replied simply not seeming to notice the glow. "Now can I please finish with my assignment before everyone comes over?"

"Yeah, I wanted to check with Aurora and make sure her bunch would be here."

Lilith went back to her homework and Isilee called up Aurora. The Solarian princess informed her Melodian friend that she had a date with Jayden even though they weren't technically calling it a date, but she was still excited. Aurora then said that Minerva and Felicity were still coming over and finally asked when Gavin was going to pull that stick out of his ass and maybe ask Felicity out.

"How should I know?" Isilee asked. "I'm Gavin's twin not his psychic friend."

"Ookay sorry for asking!" Aurora exclaimed dramatically. "Minnie and Fee just left. And I have to finish getting ready, tell Missy I said hi."

Isilee was thankful to get off the phone. She didn't know how Artemisia put up with having Aurora for a younger sister, but she did know why she was at a different school and so eager to get her apprenticeship next year.

"Aurora's not coming." Isilee announced. "But Felicity's dragging her nose out of her books long enough to rub elbows with us magic folk."

"I heard that." Felicity stated coming into Isilee and Lilith's dorm. Lilith was saving her essay as the two fairies in training came in. "You've been talking to Gavin again eh?"

"Well we _are_ family. But to be fair, you don't seem like the pain in the ass Gavin's making you out to be."

"You should try being her lab partner." Minerva put in as she dropped her overnight bag on Isilee's bed causing two DVDs to fall out. "You'd think _she_ was the one raised in the magical dimension the way she bosses me around."

"I just got good grades in Chemistry." Felicity defended. "And I tend to be… okay I am bossy."

"So mote it be!" Aiyanna chimed in joining her friends near the double beds. "At least now you're speaking the truth."

Samara hung back and surveyed the room for signs of Aurora's belongings, when she didn't see anything she spoke up. "Is Aurora coming later? I thought she was the one who wanted the girls' night after all the tests."

"Nope, Rora got a better offer." Isilee stated. "Seems Jayden asked her out and she decided to go with him tonight."

"I didn't even know they were talking after the FTX." Felicity put in as she helped herself to one of Lilith's brownies and began sorting through the DVDs Minerva had brought.

"Well according to my brothers- or the Magix school news as I call them- Jayden helped Aurora out during some altercation she'd had with Selia and I guess some other stuff." Minerva explained. The carrot haired girl was practically hugging herself, this was the kind of story she loved. "From the sounds of things they've been talking for two weeks straight."

"Yeah, she's finally stopped calling my necklace tacky." Felicity added. "Although she and Selia are still getting into it, but they're just those kinds of people."

"Uh huh." Samara muttered distractedly. "Sounds nice."

Aiyanna looked around anxiously for someone to stop Minerva from waxing poetic about romance and relationships, seeing that Lilith and Felicity were about to get into a discussion on the building blocks of arcane magick she found it was up to her. "So, what are we doing about food?" Aiyanna was granted a thank you look from Samara.

"Ordering subs from White Horse (6) I guess." Isilee suggested.

"Okay let's do that then, and Sama you can pick the first movie."

Samara nodded and Isilee picked up her mobile- soon all was somewhat normal, if a bit loud because Minerva had suggested giving Felicity a makeover, in Lilith and Isilee's room at Cloud Tower.

However over at Alfea Selia and Delia decided to take advantage of the fact that their suitemates were out for the evening.

"I'm glad mail came today." Delia stated. "I finally have that new book for my powers."

Selia snorted. "Is that all you can think of?" She demanded of her twin as she used a lock picking spell to pry open the door to Minerva and Felicity's room. Why use the old hair pin trick when magic works just as well, she always said.

"Not completely. Delia responded, the dark eyed twin wasn't too keen on their sister Serafina's idea of peeking through everyone's belongings, but since they were a month into the school year and no closer to finding anything other than the necklace when there was still a mirror a sword and the Book of Shadows itself to find she didn't argue.

"I just think that maybe we should…"

"Good," Selia cut her twin off, "then let's get started before _princess_ Aurora gets back from her date. We may have to check her room as well." She was completely certain that Aurora had the mirror they needed so she wanted to sift through the Solarian's room too.

Delia shrugged and began to go through Minerva's dresser drawers looking for a jewelry box or a hand mirror with a wreath of white roses with black thorns on the back of it. She doubted anyone would hide a sword in their dresser or in their closet for that matter- which is where Selia had gone first. Delia found a slim book covered in dark pink vinyl, but it turned out to just be Minerva's journal nothing close to what they were looking for was in there.

After an hour of tossing Felicity and Minerva's belongings around as they sat at Cloud Tower with their friends watching movies Selia heaved a sigh of frustration. "This is impossible!" She exclaimed causing Delia to drop the journal she'd found in Felicity's bedside table and rush over to clamp her hands over her twin's mouth.

"Do you want everyone to know what we're up to?" Delia hissed sounding uncharacteristically moody. "Look, use a spell and clean up because Aurora should be back from her date soon. This means we have to wait for another chance to check her room, unless Serafina finds something downtown."

"Fine." Selia grumbled. "Did you find anything?"

"No, not even that necklace, Felicity must've kept it on."

"Damn! So all this work for nothing?"

Before Delia could answer her mobile dinged. "Hmm Serafina sent me a text."

"Are you gonna read it or stare at it?" Selia demanded as she began hastily shoving things back into drawers on Minerva's side of the room- just the way the red haired fairy had left them. Felicity's belongings were going to be harder to put back, the girl was such a neat freak she might even guess they'd been in her room with the best clean up spell the twins could muster.

"Fina says she _thinks_ she's found our mirror which is good."

"It'd be better if she _knew_. Honestly she calls us the hopeless ones, but who do she and Lantis send out on their missions? Us."

"You've a point there." Delia conceded. "All Lantis is doing is snooping around Red Fountain trying to figure out who has the sword. Not everything is going to be right where you need it to be."

"Exactly." Selia agreed with a curt nod. "Just because he thinks that necklace is a stone from the Fountain of Light. If Lantis wants a stone from the fountain of light, he should steal the ring of Solaria."

"And we should get out of here before Aurora gets back." Delia added pulling her sister by the collar of her shirt back into their dorm. And none too soon because they both heard the click of the Solarian princess' heels on the ceramic tiles of the first years' hallway and heard her tell another student to mind her own business before entering the shared common area then walking past Minerva and Felicity's room towards her own.

"Don't pull so hard." Selia hissed as Delia slid their door shut with a click.

Aurora turned her head in the direction of the noise and saw the state of Minerva and Felicity's room.

'Odd, I don't remember leaving Minerva's side looking that bad.' Aurora thought to herself as she walked over to straighten up the top of Minerva's dresser. 'All I did was borrow a skirt without asking.' The blonde shrugged. "Well, at least they won't be back til tomorrow afternoon. I can get something fixed by then."

As Aurora walked into her own room and closed the door, Delia gave Selia a knowing look. "_What_?" Selia demanded with a smirk. "I just put a thought in her head."

"Let's just hope it lasts long enough for her to clean for us." Delia said sounding resigned to having her sister use magic to do her work. "We have to meet with Serafina and Lantis in Magix tomorrow."

**_Fin!_**

**_So this didn't take an obscene amount of time and I'm slowly gaining speed. I do thank you all for reading and reviewing. Please feel free to make suggestions to how I can improve._**

**1.) ****If the name sounds familiar at all, it's because I stole it from Spy46's story. Don't worry he won't mind because he loves me**.

**2.) I was at a loss for naming planets so I looked up the Celtic Gods and found this one, equivalent of the Celtic God Ogma Chief Irish god, patron of eloquence and learning, inventor of Ogham letters.**

**3.) A book of spells used either by a solitary practitioner of Magick or by a coven. And no, you can't seal people in them.**

**4.) Line from Never Ending Story by Within Temptation. Don't worry it'll make sense**

**5.) Courtesy of Babynames dot com. This name means labour and strength. It's a medieval form of Millicent.**

**6.) This is actually the name of the Café Bloom works at in the comics. I thought I'd throw it in.**


	12. Nowhere to go No Way to Get There

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** Hurray, that crazy person is here!**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient, you guys are great. Oh and Spy46 for being my unofficial beta reader until I get a real one.**

**Chapter Eleven: Nowhere To Go No Way to Get There**

Isilee woke up on the Monday after the sleep over with both pillows over her head. The magenta haired witch had started sleeping that way Friday night to ignore the noise Minerva and Samara were making over the movie actors. She continued the practice over the weekend because Lilith had suddenly become a loud sleeper and was talking incessantly while Isilee was trying to sleep. Isilee had tried throwing things at her roommate and shaking her, she'd even tried a few minor sound wave spells. But Lilith was as heavy a sleeper as she was a loud talker.

So Isilee stretched in her bed then placed her feet on the floor contemplating her next move to getting her roommate to sleep quieter. She considered trying to do some research in the library after school that day which brought about the realization that she'd never finished her paper for magical defense class.

"Crap." Isilee muttered. "Well, I can just finish that before breakfast." She shrugged and walked over to boot up the shared computer, in her defense it was just a fluff piece on preferred barrier spells and only needed to be two pages long. By the time Isilee had finished her conclusive paragraph Lilith had roused herself from her bed and made her way to the communal bathroom and back.

"Oh good, you have the computer on." The burgundy haired witch commented, as she came over where Isilee was finishing her homework. "Can you print off my assignment too please? I forgot to do that this weekend. And I've just been so tired."

The assignment in question was the one Lilith'd been working on Friday night before the sleep over so it was still on the shared desktop instead of her new turned around in the chair looking at her roommate in shock.

"_You've_ been tired?" She demanded hitting save then print on the screen. "_I'm_ the one who's been listing to you blather on in her sleep all weekend. You talk more than Aurora."

Lilith flushed. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize I was talking in my sleep. I've never done it before."

"Even if you have you wouldn't know because you do it in your sleep." Isilee replied sounding apologetic. Pulling her assignment from the printer she went into Lilith's files and printed off her paper too. "So, what are you dreaming about? It sounds pretty wild from my side of the room."

"Trust me it is." Lilith assured her roommate as she stepped behind the dressing screen to get changed for breakfast and classes. "Well, more like they are. It's so jumbled together I don't know what to tackle first and which pieces of which dreams fit where."

"What do you mean?" Isilee asked as Lilith came out from behind the dressing screen wearing a dark green wrap dress that reached her knees and a simple black cord choker with a clear crystal hanging from it.

"I mean I'm confused and I blame that stupid book my mom sent." Lilith replied as Isilee took her clothes and went behind the dressing screen to change. "I'm hoping Jayden could help or maybe Minerva."

"_Minerva_?" Isilee choked out not bothering to hide the shock from her voice. "That girl doesn't even know what her powers are yet, and you want _her_ to figure out strange dreams for you?"

"I believe in giving people a chance. Who knows, maybe dream interpretation is in her cards."

"But still, _Minerva_, you'd be better off asking _my_ brother for advice."

"Maybe I'll go to Red Fountain first then if Jayden can't help me, I'll try someone or something else another day." Lilith offered as she and Isilee made their way down to the dining hall for breakfast.

* * *

During last period in her herbology class Serafina felt herself drifting off during professor Belladonna's explanation of the different types of plants used in various hallucination spells. The brunette third year was already upset that the book she'd found in a second hand store in Magix wasn't the book of shadows her coven was searching for, and now for the past three nights Lantis and Selia had been texting her until two in the morning causing her to lose sleep.

'Sweet blackness, that's all I need.' Serafina thought to herself as the professor turned her back to the class to begin drawing pictures of some roots she wanted the students to find for a field exercise. Serafina closed her eyes for what she thought was a second; the next thing she knew someone was poking her with a stylus.

"Huh?" She asked looking in the direction of where she'd been from Solaria shot Serafina a quick grin and went back to copying the pictures professor Belladonna was still drawing onto her laptop's screen.

"You need a coffee." The silver eyed witch commented offhandedly. "Oh, and to pay attention better or I'll ask to switch lab partners."

"Uh huh." Serafina replied with a glare in her desk partner's direction... "And I may do the same if you don't stop poking at me."

Artemisia shrugged, she could care less what Serafina did as long as it didn't affect her grade. "You wouldn't- you need me so the illustrations to our lab notes don't look like a drunk, sight impaired troll did them." She whispered. "Just stop spending more time with your boyfriend and start spending it on our joint assignments."

Serafina bit back a remark as professor Belladonna turned back towards the class glaring straight at her and Artemisia as if she knew they'd been talking.

"Class, this week's independent field exercise is to find and correctly classify ten different plants used in location spells." Professor Belladonna announced. "I'd also like you to find a location spell and demonstrate it for the class next week. There will also be a test in two weeks on the spells and plants we've covered so far." The blue haired professor paused and took a long drink from the water bottle at her desk. "That is all, you're dismissed. Ms. Serafina I'd suggest sleeping in longer and going to bed sooner if you don't want to get a failing mark in this class."

"Sounds like she's got your number." Artemisia teased as she and Serafina walked down the hall towards the exits. She wasn't sure what to make of her lab partner's scatterbrained persona and sporadic moodiness, but for the most part the darker haired girl seemed to be a hard worker. However there seemed to be some shadows in Serafina that wouldn't go away and that bothered her.

"Hah, funny." Serafina replied rolling her eyes. "Would you mind if we started on our project separately? I've something to do right now over at Red Fountain." The something was Lantis' most recent text which he'd sent during lunch.

Now it was Artemisia's turn to roll her eyes. "This is an individual field exercise, we do our own thing."

"Ah, okay. In that case I'll see you later." Serafina then rushed out to the shuttle stop leaving Artemisia to just stare after her.

Meanwhile over at Alfea, Felicity was doing a little rushing of her own. It seems that the resource librarian at Red Fountain had finally decided that he wanted his book on magical items back and contacted Headmistress Faraganda who in turn had called the reluctant nature fairy to her office during lunch and ordered her to return the book back to Red Fountain or face disciplinary action. So that's how Felicity found herself on the shuttle that took the students of Alfea and Cloud Tower to Red Fountain sitting next to Lilith and getting strange looks from Serafina.

"So what are you coming here for?" Lilith finally asked as she and Felicity followed Serafina and a few other students off the shuttle and on to the grounds of Red Fountain.

Felicity's face colored under her tan skin. "Over due library book, what about you?"

"I have to talk to Jayden about that book I got from our mom. And these weird dreams I've been having." Lilith explained as they walked up the steps into the school.

"Jayden can figure out things like that?" Felicity asked intrigued."Not usually, but I think talking to him may help it usually does."

Felicity nodded her head not quite understanding what Lilith was saying, she was an only child herself and only had her mom growing up so having a sibling or even a close cousin to confide in was beyond Felicity's comprehension."Okay, well I'll see you later then." Felicity finally said giving the other girl a wave and heading off to find the library yet again.

Lilith waved back and headed towards the second year dorms to find Jayden, she didn't have to go far because he was coming her way texting on his mobile phone. "Jay!" She shouted.

The brown haired boy looked up from his phone to see who was calling him and grinned when he saw his sister. "Lili, I didn't think you'd come over til after dad left."

"He left yesterday. Look I have a problem; can we talk in your room privately?"

"I guess so, what's your problem?"

"If I could tell you in the hallway I wouldn't need to tell you in your room privately." Lilith replied tartly.

Jayden nodded, "True enough. Come with me."

Meanwhile in a room a few doors down from Jayden's Lantis and Serafina were having a pow wow of their own. In private of course and as quietly as they could, but both parties had enough icy stares and harsh words to make up for the lack of volume.

"This wild goose chase you have my sisters and I on is proving fruitless." Serafina stated angrily as she examined a torn cuticle. "And aside from finding out that Samara of Domino _doesn't_ have the sword we need and that necklace of Felicity's is the first key we've nothing to show for our efforts."

"I'm trying my best Fina." Lantis countered his voice hard. "I did some research about where we may be able to find the mirror."

"Let's hope it's better than your last bit of research."

"If you can be bothered to pull your eyes away from your manicure, you can find out for yourself."

Serafina scowled at Lantis, but got up off the chair she'd been sitting on and came over to look at Lantis' computer. "You're kidding right, the Forest of Lights?"

"I don't kid about things like this." Lantis replied smoothly as he turned to face Serafina. "When the Black Root coven finished sealing away my ancestor, Melisande was very adamant that the tools that could be used to find where she was placed would never be found."

"That's for sure." Serafina agreed. "No one can even figure out if the Forest of Lights exists in this dimension."

"We'll find a way. Don't you have that assignment for your class about a potion to find something?"

Serafina's pale complexion became a slight rose shade. "You know I really don't appreciate how you keep constant tabs on me Lantis." She snapped.

"And you know I really don't care." Lantis returned sounding haughty. "We're done here."

"On the contrary, we've only just begun." Serafina snarled as her eyes darkened. "Don't think that just because you're the descendant of a powerful witch means that you've authority over me."

"You know I don't think that."

"Then stop spying on me. My sisters and I are helping you now because we're almost family and there's something to be gained from it, but if you over step your bounds you'd better watch your back." With that speech, Serafina turned her back on Lantis and headed out the door.

Lantis breifly contemplated following Serafina, but thought better of it, if she got in into her head that he was a threat there was no telling what she could do with her shadow magic. So instead he made his way down to the library to see if he could find any more information on the Forest of Lights.

Down in the library Felicity was standing at the reference librarian's desk trying not to look bored as an elderly woman with the powder pink hair chastised her for taking a month to return a 'valuable text book' you'd've thought Felicity had kept the thing for a year and used it for a coloring book the way the lady was carrying on. She thought the lecture would never end and was looking for some sort of distraction when who should walk in like her own personal knight in tarnished armor but Gavin.

Gavin had to do a double take since the last time he's seen Felicity they'd been in the woods for two days and when they'd parted everyone looked pretty scruffy. This time though she looked more like the first time he'd had seen her, sans the beasties. "Hey, Fee!" he called in a loud voice causing the reference librarian to pause her tirade and glare at him instead.

"Young man, this is a library not a sport arena." The reference librarian scolded in a stern tone.

Gavin thought up a good lie quick. "Sorry Mrs. Nevada, but I was looking all over for my girlfriend and I was happy to _finally_ find her."

Felicity grabbed the desk to stop from falling over in shock, but recovered quickly enough to play the part.

"Hey baby." She chirped walking over and giving Gavin a quick peck on the cheek. "I was just returning that book I'd borrowed, but I got held up. I hope we don't miss that movie."

The reference librarian just shook her head. "You may leave now, but no more late books is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Felicity replied as she grabbed Gavin's hand and dragged him out of the library. When they were finally in the hall Felicity dropped Gavin's hand and turned to face him, but before she could say anything she saw Lantis heading towards them and froze.

"Now what's wrong?" Gavin asked looking in the same direction Felicity was staring.

"That's the guy who attacked Samara and I back in Gardenia."

"Say what now?"

"Oh that's right, it was before you and the others came to help. The way I met Samara was I was in this park near my place and that guy was after her. Then he came after me. " Felicity explained quietly.

"You say this guy attacked both of you?" Gavin asked incredulously. "He doesn't look the part." He added as Lantis walked past the two of them into the library pausing long enough to get a good look at Felicity since he was getting a strange vibe from her too.

"Are you calling me a liar then?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just saying that _maybe_ you have the wrong guy. You haven't seen him do anything since that day right?" Gavin reasoned.

"Well, no.""Then how are you certain he's the guy?"

"Because I don't forget faces, I have a photographic memory."

Gavin snorted at that comment. "Which is why you took a month to return a book?"

"No, I didn't return the book because I was avoiding you." Felicity replied honestly. "And that's something I don't want to get into right now."

"Lissie, you're still here?" Lilith asked breaking into the argument between Felicity and Gavin. "I'm glad, that means I'll have someone to talk to on the way back to Cloud Tower because Jay helped me a bit."

"That's good, I suppose." Felicity commented. "What did you need help with?"

"The book of shadows my mom sent and the dreams I've been having that've been keeping Isi up all night."

"Sounds wild," Gavin put in. "What'd Jayden have to say?"

"The book is from my mom's side of the family, the dreams are still sketchy." Lilith explained. "He suggested reading some of the book, and starting to record my dreams in a notebook."

"Is that all?"

"Well, no since Minerva seems to be picking up some kind of telepath skills to ask her."

"Min has wanted to try that new spell she's been practicing." Felicity allowed. "I bet she'd say yes."

"Great, then I'll ask her tomorrow. I've gotta get back to CT so I can gloat to Isi that Min might be able to help me. Are you coming?"

"Unless Gavin needs me to pretend to be his girlfriend for something I'm done." Catching the look of shock on Lilith's face Felicity quickly added, "I'll explain on the way back. Bye Gavin."

"Bye baby." Gavin replied just to get a rise from Felicity and Lilith. It worked like a charm.

"There's better be a good story behind this." Lilith remarked dryly looking from Gavin back to Felicity. "Because if there isn't all I have to say is, 'it's not nice to keep secrets from your friends'."

**Whew glad that's done. **

**I usually don't beg for reviews, but I just went and manually fixed the loaded chapter so I deserve them!**


	13. Breaking at the Cracks

**A Place in This World **

**Disclaimer: Sarcasm, just one of the many free services I offer. **

**Dedication All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient, you guys are great. Oh and Spy46 for being my unofficial beta reader until I get a real one. **

**Chapter Twelve: Breaking at the Cracks **

It was late afternoon after Friday classes and Minerva was sitting by herself in the common room between the three dorms occupied by her and a few other girls reading a new romance novel and waiting for Lilith to come over so they could page through some of Minerva's books on dream meanings and such. She'd just gotten to the first scene of sexual tension when Selia came into the room clutching a large leather bound book to her chest. The platinum blond cast a furtive glace from one end of the room to the other and spied Minerva looking back at her.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

Minerva was taken aback by the other girl's rudeness. True, they didn't know each other outside of classes or the suite of rooms they shared, but Selia should've at least remembered that they did share this common area.

"Well, I'm waiting for an answer."

"My room's here too and I'm waiting for a friend of mine." Minerva answered calmly before going back to her book. "You can sit here too if you like."

"Can't you wait somewhere else?" Selia asked as she settled herself in a chair opposite Minerva and gave her a hard stare.

"I could, but I don't want to."

Selia would've said more, or tried to cast a spell and force Minerva to leave, there was a knock at the doorjamb then a black haired young man with the bluest eyes Minerva had ever seen entered the room.

"Oh great, more interruptions." Selia groused as she watched the young man come into the room. "What do you want Lantis?"

"Just to see you, is that so wrong?" Lantis asked in a self assured tone.

"Seeing as it's you, yes." Selia snapped.

Hearing this exchange Minerva wondered if this was some kind of romance gone wrong and set her book aside. An ex boyfriend who kept popping up would definitely explain Selia's chronic snarky attitude- Minerva thought to herself.

"I was hoping we could talk about that issue we had the other day." Lantis explained.

Selia rolled her eyes

"Do you want me to leave?" Minerva asked feeling the negative energy between Selia and Lantis building.

"Yes, I wanted you gone the moment I saw you." Selia snapped.

"Selia, that was uncalled for." Lantis admonished. "This is… I'm sorry what's your name?"

"Minerva." Minerva replied politely as she stood and began to pick up her book.

"I'm Lantis DiMedici." Lantis replied with a smile. "This is Minerva's place too, besides what I need to discuss with you is personal Selia."

"I'm not going into my room alone with you." Selia replied tartly.

"There's no need for that anyway." Minerva replied as Lilith walked in. "My friend's here and we can use my dorm so you two can stay here." She offered.

"Let me find a container for my joy." Selia commented.

"I hope you don't feel that you need to leave on my account." Lantis stated looking directly at Minerva.

"No, it's because we have some personal matters of our own to see to." Lilith replied in a matter of fact tone as she pulled Minerva towards the doorway.

"It was a pleasure meeting you." Lantis commented.

"Thanks, same here." Minerva replied just as Lilith shut the door behind them.

"You fairies are real home bodies." Lilith observed as she made herself comfortable on Felicity's bed. The brunette fairy was finishing some herbology homework for professor Mialei and wouldn't be back for a while.

"What do you mean?" Minerva asked curiously as she placed two large books and one small one on her bed.

"Back at Cloud Tower you'd never see a witch with a huge book lounging around the dorms on a Friday afternoon."

"And yet here we are doing just that. So where do you want to get started?"

"How about this book on charms and dreams?" Lilith suggested grabbing one of the larger books with an effort.

"Works for me, I'll look through the one I have on spirit guides and maybe we can meet somewhere in the middle." Minerva agreed.

Over in Selia's room- because Lantis had managed to convince the hot headed blonde that blowing their cover so early in the game would not be in their best interest- Selia and Lantis were having a bit of a showdown.

"What was that all about?" Selia demanded once she was sure no one would be eavesdropping. "We're on a mission here so we can't really afford your skirt chasing at this moment."

Lantis gave an amused chuckle which only irritated Selia more.

"I'm serious. You need to focus, not chase after a ditz like Minerva you can't be interested in her!"

"So what if I am?"

Selia rolled her jet black eyes. "She's not even your type."

"Maybe not." Lantis nodded. "But she is Felicity's roommate and friends with Aurora of Solaria so she may be able to help us out."

"I do love a good intrigue." Selia allowed. "What do you have in mind?"

"That depends on what type of girl she is," he grinned wolfishly, "but basically just string her along until I don't need her anymore."

Selia laughed. "That'll be too easy. Minerva's one of those sappy romantic types- if you can't tell from her reading material. She actually believes in love at first site and fate. It's pathetic really."

"So I just need to do my research by reading romance novels, sounds easy enough." Lantis paused. "Are you sure she's from Zenith?"

"That's what Delia and I found on her and her roommate. Speaking of which, I came across a very interesting piece of information when I was doing my research on Felicity."

"You don't say."

"Yes, actually I do say. It seems that you and Felicity have something, or shall I say someone, in common." Selia paused and waited for Lantis to take the bait.

"And who would that be?" Lantis demanded.

"Your father."

Back in Minerva's room Lilith had hit a large roadblock in finding the source of that voice in her dreams.

"This was a total waste of time." Lilith stated closing yet another book in disgust. After the initial three books that Minerva had pulled out, the carrot haired fairy from Zenith managed to unearth another six books on dreams, talismans and a history of Fairies, Witches and other magical beings and Lilith hadn't had much luck with any of them.

"What do you mean?" Minerva asked looking up from one of her many dream books.

"Most of that book just focuses on visiting animals."

"You mean spirit guides."

"Whatever."

"Did you think that guy visiting Selia was cute?" Minerva asked, partially because she wanted to change the subject, but also because she wanted to talk about Lantis with one of her friends.

"I didn't really notice." Lilith replied as she began to look through a book on noteworthy priestesses and their magical items.

Minerva sighed, Lilith wouldn't notice a member of the opposite sex unless he was playing against her in a video game or a battle of the bands, but still she pressed on. "He kept staring at me."

"Well that could be because you and Selia were having a head butting contest about who got to stay in the common room." Lilith reasoned as she continued to page through the book she'd picked up. She stopped when she got to a page with sketches of Felicity's necklace, a rather ordinary looking sword, and a hand mirror. "There's a picture of Fee's necklace in here." She stated, moving a strand of her beaded hair away from her face.

"Yeah I know, I've seen that before myself. That and some old spell book that shows the way to where a dark priestess is sealed." Minerva shook her head. "That book should say that you need all three items together to use the spell book and find the priestess, but from what I understand it's just a legend."

"An old spell book? Like a book of shadows maybe?"

"Yes, that's what I said, but I've looked around on some sites and it's just a legend. Some story they made up to sell books I guess."

"Oh."

"Do you think he was Selia's boyfriend?"

"The author of this book?" Lilith asked confused.

"No, Lantis." Minerva explained. "He seemed interested in me for some reason."

"Minnie, you've got to stop being so boy crazy."

"Especially about that boy." Felicity added coming into their room and heading for the dresser.

"I know you all think I'm daft." The brunette continued as she pulled the necklace that Lilith and Minerva had been discussing out of her underwear drawer and fastened it around her neck. "But I swear that he's the same guy who attacked Samara back on Gardenia."

"I overheard you saying that to Gavin the other day." Lilith said. "What exactly happened back there?"

"To be extremely short winded, a life altering experience." Felicity paused, turned to her friends and sighed. "But I suppose you want more detail."

"That would help."

"I was in a nearby park doing some project; saw a flash then met Samara and Lantis. Lantis was talking about a sword and I got the brilliant idea to enter the fray. Later after my necklace decided to glow and send him off, Lantis sent some lady with big dogs came to my house and attacked everyone. I kinda sprayed vines from my hands and saved Gavin which is why I'm here now."

Lilith and Minerva stared at Felicity for a few moments as if the brunette had grown another head.

"You said he was looking for a sword when he found you and Samara?" Lilith finally asked.

"Yes, but I'm afraid he never elaborated as to why he needed it." Felicity replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Neither did that blonde with the wolf things he sent."

"A sword and now a jewel." Minerva mused.

"Just like in that book." Lilith pointed out. "Maybe it's not a myth after all."

"But it is just a myth. One of the items listed is the mirror which is supposedly in the Forest of Light. And no one has been there in centuries."

"Since when are you our resident skeptic?" Felicity wondered.

"Yeah, I thought that was Fee's job." Lilith joked earning a scowl from Felicity.

"I'm not a skeptic, I'm a realist." Felicity defended.

"I'm not a skeptic either, but I just don't believe that some mythical priestess sealed another priestess away inside a book and that some antiques are going to help find and free her."

"What if I could prove that the book exists?" Lilith offered as she removed the book of shadows her mother had sent her from her messenger bag.

"Where'd you get that?" Felicity asked failing to notice the stone in her necklace was glowing a faint green color.

"My mom sent it to me. Isilee and I read a few pages after I got back from Red Fountain the day you went there too."

"May I look at it?"

"Yes, I mean I've looked at a few more pages myself but nothing seems to make sense."

"I don't think either of you are making sense." Minerva protested. "Just because you claim someone was attacking you and he looked like Lantis."

"And this would have nothing to do with your crush on Lantis?" Felicity questioned with her arms crossed.

Minerva's face turned bright red, but she didn't reply.

"What if I'm right and Lantis is after the same things we found in your book?"

"What if you're wrong?" Minerva countered.

"What if the sky turns to fire and your noses fall off?"(1) Lilith chimed in.

Minerva and Felicity stopped glaring at each other and stared at Lilith

"You two need to stop bickering for a moment okay? It's not worth it. Why don't we just see if this Forest of Lights exists first, or do our research before jumping to conclusions and down each other's throats?"

"Works for me." Felicity agreed. "But I can't help my feelings about Lantis, there's just something about that guy that give me the creeps."

"Fine, but you know you can't just assume he's the same guy from Earth." Minerva reasoned.

"Why does everyone say that? I know that face! I can't forget that face!" Felicity declared in a rare display of emotion. "I can't forget that face." She repeated in a calmer tone of voice.

Lilith placed a calming hand on Felicity's shoulder . "Fair enough, did you find anything in that book yet?"

Felicity skimmed through a few pages until she came to what looked like a journal entry- something not too out of the ordinary for a book of shadows, but it piqued her interest just the same because it included a sealing spell and mentioned discarding the items the priestess and her fellow coven mates had used.

"Hey ladies, I believe we've unlocked part of a mystery." She stated with a small grin.

"You mean, the Forest of Lights does exist?" Minerva asked. "That's cool."

"Not exactly, but there are a few things worth checking out. In the mean time though, Lilith don't let this book out of your site. And Minerva."

"Yes?"

"Don't fall for a pair of big blue eyes just because they're on a handsome face."

Minerva sighed and went back to trying to help Lilith with her dreams. Meanwhile Felicity logged on to her new laptop and began to search the realm wide web for information on The Forest of Lights.

Hours later after a pizza had been delivered and promptly devoured and Aurora came back from her date with Jayden, Lilith decided it was time for her to head back to Cloud Tower.

"I'll walk you out." Felicity offered after noticing her roommate was half asleep in a comfortable chair and wearing her pajamas.

"Thanks." Lilith replied grabbing her things. As the two walked down the hallways leading towards the main exit Lilith decided to confront Felicity's worries about Lantis assuming the boy had left for Red Fountain long ahead of them, but as most people say- don't assume because when you assume you make an ass out of you and me.

"Do you really think that guy from Red Fountain is the same one who attacked you and Samara?" Lilith asked. "You know beyond a reasonable doubt and everything?"

"Yes, like I told Gavin before, I've a photographic memory." Felicity stated. "I never forget anything I've read or anyone I've seen."

"So do you really think that he could be searching for the Forest of Light?"

"Yes, I do. But the question is why."

"Damned if I know, Lissie. But you're the smart one here."

"Just read your book okay Lili?" Felicity told her friend giving the girl a gentle punch in the arm. "And tell Isi and the others to be on the look-out as well. I don't like the feeling I'm getting from them. And you know I'm usually the rational one."

"Does this mean we should all take you seriously or figure that the magical dimension has messed with your head?" Lilith teased.

"Probably both. I've never had this feeling before in my life."

The girls continued to talk all the way to the shuttle stop while waiting for the shuttle to come and take Lilith back to Cloud Tower.

At a safe distance Lantis stood with his levabike waiting and listening in. It worried him that Felicity and Lilith had found out about the Forest of Light almost as much as he worried about Selia's bit of news. Could it really be possible that Felicity was his half sister- if that was true then, his task was going to be easier than he'd thought.

_**Where am I going and what am I doing in this hand basket?**_

** Man, four stories updated in one week, I really should go out and celebrate. Sorry about the length of this one- it just took on a mind of its own after I copied from my notebook. But hey now I have a plot and some action starting. We can be thankful for that, right? So what's Lantis planning for Minerva? I guess you'll have to wait for my next update.**


	14. Character profiles and a brief catch up

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** We're all mad here**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient, you guys are great. Oh and Spy46 for being my unofficial beta reader until I get a real one.**

**Note:**** I'm doing this because of a request from Ander Arias who'd suggested that I should reintroduce some main characters and some of the ones not mentioned before. Some revisions to the characters have been made here so pay attention- if you can afford it. Also I'm going to add a quick story recap. I hope this is appreciated.**

**Chapter Thirteen: The Story So Far**

**Character profiles and a brief catch up on my story**

** Felicity:** Nicknamed Fee or Lissie with light brown hair and grey/green (Think lichen. If you don't know what lichen is, Google it) eyes. Felicity is the one who holds the stone from the River of Light. She came by it accidentally- it was a gift from her mother's co-worker who definitely didn't know the history behind the necklace. Felicity was an average girl and a star student at her high school in Gardenia where she was on the track team before finding Lantis and Samara- the princess of Domino- in the park where she'd decided to work on her project. Now she attends Alfea as a first year much to her ire, but she is enjoying learning magic. She shares a room with Minerva from Zenith. Felicity has a photographic memory and remembers Lantis' face from Gardenia so now she's trying to convince the others that something's not right about him. She and Gavin are still having a love hate relationship, but I'm working on getting those two porcupines the moment Felicity is slowly losing her levelheadedness and slipping into her stubborn persona- I'm having fun with this right now.

**Samara: **Nicknamed Sama, she's the princess of Domino and named after her paternal grandmother. She has her mother's blazing red hair and aptitude to jumping into things before thinking them through and an older brother who has already graduated from Red Fountain and is learning to rule Eraklyon with their father. Lantis and his group thought that Samara had the sword of a great ruler that they needed to find his ancestor and break the seal. But that wasn't the case. Samara attends Red Fountain as a second year student with Layla's daughter Aiyanna- they're roommates.

Samara has a crush on Lilith's brother Jayden, but he doesn't feel the same way about her- more on him in a bit. Samara's weapon of choice is a broadsword- she also takes a few classes on magic to learn how to wield the Dragon Flame since someday her mother will pass it on to her. I haven't completely developed Samara's character and would appreciate some help getting some more scenes in Cloud Tower and Red Fountain involving her, Aiyanna and Isilee.

**Lilith:** Affectionately called Lili and Lil. Lilith is Mirta's daughter and has her mother's penchant for illusions, speaking up, and wearing beads in her hair. Lilith attends Cloud Tower as a second year student and shares a room with Isilee and the majority of Isilee's musical instruments. She has an older brother named Jayden- Seriously I will get into him just have some patience- and the Book of Shadows belonging to a priestess named Melisande who she's descended from. Lilith isn't aware yet that she's holding the book that Lantis and his group is looking for, but that's okay because neither does Lantis. She also isn't aware that she along with Felicity and two of her other friends will have to face Lantis and his group- I just haven't gotten that far in my planning yet. Lilith has been having some strange dreams lately and went to go visit Minerva to help her sort things out. She ended up learning more about how Felicity came to Alfea and is about to do some research of her own on the Forest of Light. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but Lilith is going to have a big role in this story. I'm just terrible at getting into what I started.

**Jayden:** No nicknames- okay well except for Jay, he has short dark brown hair and dark green eyes. He's Lilith's younger brother and is currently dating Aurora- more on how that happened later. Jayden has no idea about his sister's involvement in any strange occurrences or her receiving any strange books from their mom. He attends Red Fountain with Gavin, Bryce and Minerva's brothers. Jayden is a third year student and shares a room with Parker- Minerva's brother who helped destroy Felicity's laptop-and a guy named Ryan who I stuck in there and haven't figured if I want to use him or not. He knows some magic as well- mainly healing and protection spells. Jayden doesn't know that Samara has a crush on him, he thinks of her as his friend's kid sister- don't ask me why he doesn't see Aurora the same way it could be the way they come across I don't know! Jayden doesn't have a weapon specialty, but he's pretty good at strategy.

** Gavin:** Okay I'm at a loss here, Gavin has cherry red hair in a style closely resembling Tamaki from Ouran High School Host club for lack of a better description and dark blue eyes. He and his twin sister Isilee inherited their father's mood swings and their mother's love of music- I'm going to figure out how to use this to the best of my abilities soon. Gavin is a second year student at Red Fountain and he shares a room with Bryce- Aurora's brother- and excels at battle strategy and world history as well as lock picking because you just can't be Riven's offspring and not be good at lock picking. Speaking of Riven- he's a teacher at Red Fountain and moved his kids around a lot especially after their mom's death.

At the moment Gavin is skeptical about Felicity's insistence that Lantis- a classmate of his- is the same guy who attacked her and Samara back in Gardenia. He is however starting to warm up to her and she to him, but like I said before getting the two of them together is like getting porcupines to mate so this will take a while. I've got some plans for this guy because he's ended up being one of my favorite characters- give me a few chapters and he'll believe Felicity when she says Lantis is up to something. There may also be something for him when I get around to the sword of light so keep reading.

**Aurora: **Called Rora by her friends and family she's the stubborn blonde princess of Solaria. Her older sister got a mention, and I will elaborate on her next Her older brother, Bryce, attends Red Fountain- I haven't really done much with him so right now he's a filler character. Aurora is a first year at Alfea and is currently in constant competition bordering on aggravated assault with Selia whom she doesn't like or trust. I'm getting into a fight scene with them after this recap. So far they've nearly come to blows in the cafeteria and got into a tussle during the field exercise with Red Fountain where Parker and Jayden had to pull them apart. Trust me the chapters after this will be worth waiting for. Aurora is currently dating Jayden, I never got into how it happened, I know, but it just happened. Just imagine that Jayden got her number from Minerva who loves that kind of thing and it went on from there. She has the ring of Solaria, but it won't be needed by anyone in _this_ story.

I honestly don't know what else to say here so moving on.

**Minerva:** Better known as Min or Minnie, Minerva is the red haired dreamy somewhat scatter brained fairy of telekinetic powers- yes that's what she's going to have give me a chance to bring them out in her- who shares a room with Felicity. The two girls clash on almost everything because of their personalities, but they will be there for each other because that's just what friends do. Minerva loves romance novels and believes in love at first sight and fate which completely contradicts both her siblings and her parents' personalities. She also has a large collection of books on dreams, magic, and charms which she will lend out to friends on a moment's notice.

As you've hopefully read in the last chapter Minerva's developed a crush on Lantis much to her roommate's annoyance and Lilith's concern. Lantis is going to use this to his advantage because well he's the main antagonist and he has some issues with women and relationships in general. I'll get into him soon, and then I'll have some fun with this plot.

**Aiyanna:** The only nickname I could think of was Yan Yan, but maybe Anna would work too. She's an only child, but originally she was going to have an older sister named Victery however I ditched that idea. I don't know if anyone's guessed yet, but she's Layla's daughter and was created by me before Iginio Straffi killed off Nabu. I haven't decided what to do about any other siblings or Layla's marital status yet.

Aiyanna attends Red Fountain as a second year student and shares a room with Samara. She's sometimes subjected to Samara's rants about the professors' choices in homework and her paternal grandfather's insistence to her father that she become more of a lady. Aiyanna is a tomboy and a very good athlete like her mother and con control water molecules. So far at Red Fountain her fighting skills are mostly fencing and planning. I don't know whether to have her be able to find the mirror or not when I send everyone off to the Forest of Lights.

**Artemisea: **Aurora's older sister, she attends Cloud Tower as a third year student and has been paired up with Serafina in their labs. She has black hair and grey eyes and a very twisted sense of humor. Artemisea and Aurora are as different from each other as night and day which is fitting because Artemisea has lunar powers instead of solar and is ruled by the moon (her sign is Cancer) instead of by the Sun (Aurora's sign is Leo) her name is derived from Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the Moon, but I believe this is the Italian form of it- either way I got the name from an Italian Renaissance painter. She attended Alfea for two years before nearly getting herself kicked out and transferring to Cloud Tower (yeah, Stella was definitely not thrilled with that turn of events.) and tends to pull pranks. But she's a gifted student when it comes to potions and charms Artemisea is also a talented artist which may come in use later in the story.

** Parker and Preston: **Minerva's older brothers. Parker is a third year at Red Fountain and is the main one responsible for turning Felicity's laptop into a glorified paperweight. He shares a room with Jayden and gives him hell for dating Aurora. I haven't decided what to do with his love life yet- or with him in general. Preston is a second year also at Red Fountain- he has the unfortunate fate to have his mom's magenta colored hair (Parker looks like his dad) and to share most group projects with Gavin and Lantis.

** Bryce:** The brunette haired prince of Solaria with some minor middle child issues. I added him because I could, now I don't know what else to do with him. Pair him with someone, give him some lines. What do I do with someone? I have way too many OCs sometimes.

**Lantis:** Black hair and blue eyes and the reason I'm going to have Isilee sing Cowboy Casanova (1) one of these chapters. He's a rather charismatic antagonist who's out to release his ancestor and pay back the descendant of the priestess who sealed her. Lantis is convinced it's his half sister- Felicity- but he's pretty wrong about that. He attends Red Fountain and does okay with sword fighting but isn't very good with hand to hand combat. (Was that redundant?) He does have control over shadows- fun eh?

**Selia: **The high strung undercover first year in serious need of an attitude adjustment. She has a superiority complex and can't stand Aurora in the slightest. Selia is very intelligent and has telepathic abilities as well as powers resembling Darcy Trix, but there is no relation between the two of them. Selia like her sisters doesn't care much for working with Lantis, but she does like power.

** Delia: **Unlike the name suggests, Delia and Selia aren't twins in the true sense of the word- they're ten months apart in age and she's older- but their older sister Serafina refers to them as her twin sisters. Delia is more cautious than her younger sister and has control over animals. She's not too keen on Lantis' plans and really doesn't like fighting too much. I'm stuck now on what to do with her and why she's helping Lantis except that maybe he blackmailed her into it.

**Serafina: **True her name may mean Angel, but she isn't one. Serafina or Fina for short attends Cloud Tower as a third year student and like Lantis she controls shadows. She met Lantis by accident at a bookstore in Magix and decided to help him with his quest as long as she got in on the power as well. Man I am so bad with my antagonists.

**_This has been a special report now back to your regularly scheduled fanfiction_ **

**Sorry for the length and all the added commentary, but I couldn't help myself. I hope this chapter helped everyone, because actually it helped me quite a bit.**

**1.) Kick ass song by Carrie Underwood and it really fits this guy's character.**


	15. What Is This Feeling

**A Place in This World**

**Note: I forgot to put Isilee in the Character chapter so heres her bit now: **

**Isilee: **from Melody shes Gavin's twin sister and an equally talented musician nicknamed the Music witch or just Isi. She's a second year at Cloud Tower and shares a room with Lilith. Isilee has blue black hair and her father's amethyst eyes and stubborn nature. She tends to be sarcastic and sometimes speaks before thinking. Yeah thats it for now.

**Disclaimer:**** Loathing unadulterated loathing.**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient, you guys are great. Oh and Spy46 for being my unofficial beta reader until I get a real one.**

**Chapter Fourteen: What Is This Feeling **

Aurora was certain that Selia and her sister were up to something. It had all started with Minerva and Felicity's room being ransacked when she'd come back from her first date with Jayden. Aurora had been certain she'd just searched for a skirt, not torn apart the whole dorm, but something urged her to clean up. Other odd things had happened as well including what sounded like one or both girls sneaking in and out of their rooms in the middle of the night and Selia being snarkier than usual if that was at all possible. Aurora was still wondering about Selia's odd behavior as she sat in the common room between her room and the room belonging to Selia and her sister when Selia burst through the entrance holding on to a book that just about screamed Restricted section with a guarded look on her round face.

"Hey, what do you have there?" Aurora asked with unguarded curiosity.

"None of your damn business." Selia snapped.

"It looks like one of the restricted books and it's in our common room so it _is _my business. You really need to be careful of those books since you never know whats in them."

" And you really need to shut up and keep your nose out of my business before something bad happens."

Aurora stood up and crossed the few meters of space between herself and Selia.

"You know, Im getting pretty tired of you bossing everyone around like you own the damn universe or something." The Solarian princess fumed. "Don't think I didn't hear about you bullying Minerva the other day."

Selia kept her slim arms crossed over her chest and glared down at Aurora. "So what if I did? What are you gonna do about it, call Jayden and your royal guards?" the blue eyed blonde taunted.

"No, I'll take care of you myself."

" Be my guest, you want to start here?"

" And make a mess that I'll have to clean up? I think not." Aurora declared in a haughty tone.

Selia couldnt argue that point, the suite of rooms that the five girls shared may have seemed spacious, but it was severely lacking any space for a good battle.

"Okay, name your time and place." She stated with a haughty look in her eyes.

"How about a week from now at the old battle training grounds near the lake?" Aurora suggested. "It's hardly used anymore."

Selia thought Auroras proposition over for a moment, getting into a magical battle with Aurora would be a great outlet for the frustration she was dealing with while trying to find any information on the Forest of Lights. However Selia didnt want any extra distractions and there was always the chance one of her sisters could find out and stop it.

"You know, if you're afraid we can just forget the whole idea." Aurora put in with a sly smile. "But of course thatll also mean you'll have to adhere to the changes around here."

" Not on your life." Selia snapped. "Do you want an audience when I blast you off the campus?"

Aurora shrugged, "Whatever you want. Although having witnesses to your defeat would be a bonus for me."

Selia snorted. "So a week from now at the back training grounds. You bring your people and I'll bring some of mine?"

"Deal." Aurora agreed reaching forward to shake Selia's hand.

"Sorry, I dont shake hands with the lower classes." The blue eyed blonde sneered. "Good day to you."

"Lower classes indeed." Aurora fumed as Selia's door clicked shut. Then the Solarian blonde picked up her realmberry to alert her friends to her latest news.

**_Cloud Tower Same Timeline_ **

Lilith was sitting at her computer doing some research on the Forest of Lights herself. She'd found that it may exist in the Pegasus Galaxy (1) but people were wary of venturing there because of some creature that drained a person's magical energy if caught unaware. At least that's what the site Lilith was reading said.

"No wonder Melisande sent the mirror there." The burgundy haired witch muttered to herself as she read through the information on her screen. "No one could survive an unplanned excursion there."

" An excursion where?" Isilee asked entering the room and standing behind her friend reading over her shoulder.

" Nowhere." Lilith replied closing her laptop to further hide it from prying eyes. Even though it was too late for that to really work you can't blame a girl for trying.

"Nowhere sounds kinda dangerous." Isilee countered as she twirled a piece of navy blue hair around her index finger. "Plus its also on the other side of the magical dimension."

"Yes and therein lies the problem. How do we get there?"

"You mean you believe in this stuff?"

"I'm starting to."

Isilee made a face at her friend. "You've gone mad, havent you?" She asked in an accusing tone.

"Don't be like that. Im not turning into Minerva." Lilith defended. "I'm just saying that the more I read through this book and the more I think there's something to all this poetry and old spells."

Before Isilee could reply that the only thing there was to the poetry and old spells was the chance to write some new lyrics before the battle of the bands when her mobile began to play Only Prettier (2)

"Hey Rora, whats up?"

" I think Im gonna need some help." Aurora replied sounding both embarrassed and giddy.

"Why's that?" Isilee asked curious. The raven haired girl was concerned that maybe things had progressed too fast with Jayden and Aurora might need help getting a pregnancy test, luckily that wasn't the case.

"I kinda challenged Selia to a spell off in a few days and do you know how to do any spells against that telepathy stuff Selia seems to do? Maybe some illusions?"

"Why not just wave that little scepter of Solaria in her face?"

"Well, I thought of that, but then I decided I wanted to actually look like I pay attention in class so I called you."

" Do you want to meet here at Cloud Tower tomorrow?" Isilee offered. "Maybe Lilith and I could help you."

"That's right!" Aurora squealed clapping her hands and dropping her phone. "Oops sorry. But Lilith has her whole illusion thing too right?"

" Yeah she does. I'm sure we can rig up something."

" What are you volunteering me for?" Lilith asked turning from her computer again.

Isilee covered her mobile with her hand. "I'll tell you in a second, just go back to checking out that nowhere you were looking at and let me plot in peace."

Lilith sighed and contemplated using her illusion magic to conjure up some magical termites primed for chewing up Isilees acoustic guitar. Shaking her head and having the beaded strands of hair hit her in the nose, Lilith instead went back to researching the Pegasus Galaxy and waited for Isilee to finish up with Aurora, that only took a few minutes.

"Aurora needs our help." Isilee announced as she began searching for the charger to her mobile phone.

"I thought Rora made it clear that we were absolutely no help to her after I suggested she not wear knee high boots with a thigh length skirt." Lilith quipped.

" No, she decided to have a one on one match with Selia. So she needs our help."

"You mean she needs _my _help."

"Okay if you have to get technical, she needs _your_ help. But you know you want to do it Lil." Isilee wheedled. "Remember, shes our friend."

"Yeah I know, she's our friend who makes comments about how my sneakers should be burnt in a large bonfire, their scent being incense to the fashion gods." Lilith reminded her roommate blithely.

"Well, at least well all know that Aurora's honest. Besides Lil, I believe Rora will owe you one if you help her beat Selia." Isilee commented pulling her trump card.

Lilith's green eyes brightened at that prospect. "Yes, I believe she shall owe me big time. What time is she coming over here?"

"After last period, she's prepared for boot camp instruction since the fight's next week."

" Then let the training commence." Lilith cackled causing Isilee to stare at her friend and roommate in alarm.

**_We're just like you, only prettier._**

**Whew, three months and a lot of procrastinating. But I finally got this chapter done, I hope it meets with everyones approval. Sorry its short. The training will be in the next chapter. And well you know the drill.**

**1.) Little bit of playing with Stargate Atlantis for those who watch the show. I may throw some creatures in there like the wraith, but they could be subdued by powerful magic- or a convergence spell. For the rest of you who dont watch or have never heard of Star Gate Atlantis the Wraith are these creatures from the Pegasus Galaxy on the show who can drain energy. They aren't pretty. **

**2.) A song by Miranda Lambert that fits Aurora in some ways.**


	16. This Ain't a Scene It's an Arms Race

**A Place in This World**

**Disclaimer:**** Well I've been saved by the grace of southern charm.**

**Dedication**** All my wonderful reviewers who are so very patient, you guys are great. Oh and Spy46 for being my unofficial beta reader until I get a real one.**

**Chapter Fifteen: This Ain't a Scene It's an Arms Race**

_Next afternoon at Cloud Tower _

"No Aurora! You're supposed to stop and concentrate, not charge at the illusion!" Lilith scolded massaging her temples.

Isilee stood on the sidelines watching her two friends practice, shaking her head at the situation. Aurora had arrived at Cloud Tower as soon as classes had ended for everyone because she had a free study last period at Alfea and managed to sneak away had been dragged away from her computer where she'd been composing her most recent song to referee the battle and promised it'd be over in twenty minutes. That twenty minutes had been finished two hours ago, Aurora still wasn't getting the concept of how to deal with Lilith's illusions.

The frustrated blonde looked up at her friend then stood up and dusted her red wrap dress off. Aurora fluttered her wings in frustration as Lilith stalked over to her.

The cherry haired girl had suggested Aurora try to fight in her fairy form"Why do I want to stop and think when Selia's obviously going to try and attack me?" she demanded.

"Because if you pause to think about what you're going to do, you'll be more likely to defeat her." Lilith explained.

"Well, that's not my style. Couldn't I just use my scepter or something?"

"After you find out which one is Selia, now let's go through this again."

Aurora sighed loudly and stomped back to her spot, she was too angry to fly right now. She prepared for Lilith's next attack and glared dark brown daggers at her friend.

Lilith powered up as Aurora got into position causing her outfit to change from khaki cargo shorts and a plaid button down shirt over a bright blue camisole top. She was now wearing an ankle length white skirt with a slit up to her thigh and an emerald green elbow length top which ended at her waist with cut outs in the shoulders and a few inches down from her throat.

"What did you do that for?" Aurora gasped. "Not that the outfit isn't an improvement, but still why did you have to power up?"

"To level the playing field." Lilith replied. "I believe this time if you slow down and think before attacking you'll do some damage and I'd like to be able to levitate away from danger."

"If you say so, but I'm not nearly as confident as you are in my abilities."

"Whatever, just get into your stance Rora."Aurora shrugged and got into her stance as Lilith began the doppelganger spell she'd picked up in incantations. The maroon haired girl's image quickly multiplied from one into ten surrounding Aurora in a tight circle. Each doppelganger then prepared for an illusion attack aimed right at the blonde.

Aurora's eyes widened in fright and instinctively she threw up her arms. "Sun shield!" she cried causing a bright yellow light to form around her body and protect her from Lilith's first attack.

"Well at least your reflexes are working." Lilith remarked as she dodged her own attack. "But let's see what you do against this one; Nightmare Void!"

Needless to say, the name of the attack drove chills up Aurora's spine, but she threw up the shield again fending off the attack, which according to Lilith was a combination of total darkness and your worst fears. It was definitely something to be avoided in her the attack had been deflected, Aurora then tried to concentrate on which of the replicas was actually the real Lilith. First she tried to see which one looked the most solid, however Lilith was good at her illusion spells since she was a second year student and Aurora was only a first year.

Seeing that her first plan of action was a bust, the blonde began to study the circle of ten Lilith images surrounding her trying to find one thing that differed from the rest of them. For anyone else that would've been a complete waste of time because the duplicate Lilith's were wearing practically identical outfits and the same beads in their hair. However the original Lilith had a small freckle on her left ankle which couldn't be duplicated no matter how hard she tried and Aurora was a stickler for even the most minor detail thanks to her obsession with fashion.

'Ah, found her!' Aurora thought to herself with glee. 'Now for the proper attack.'

Aurora placed her palms together in front of her chest summoning an orb of light. She slowly spread her hands apart as the orb grew in size then began to spin around causing the orb to split into individual balls of light, which flew at Lilith's doppelgangers causing them to burst into flames and fade away in a cloud of smoke.

After Lilith's illusions had been taken care of, Aurora put up another sun shield to guard herself from any unforeseen attacks then pulled the sun ring from her right index finger and flung it into the air where it changed into the as Lilith was powering up for another attack , Aurora caught the scepter in both hands and aimed the tip at Lilith's nose.

"Check mate!" Aurora announced with a powered down and Isilee provided some scattered applause to the scene.

"If you can do that tomorrow, then you'll have Selia where she wants her." Isilee told Aurora as the solar fairy transformed her scepter back into an ordinary looking ring and placed it back on her right index finger.

"Yeah, where ever that is." Lilith added with a laugh.

"Oh just back in her place where she belongs." Aurora replied with a smirk. "She has to be the most obnoxious girl I've ever met."

"Maybe that's because you can't meet yourself?" Isilee suggested with a sly grin as the trio began their trek back to Cloud Tower so Aurora could catch the last shuttle to Alfea.

"Very funny Isilee, you're a real wit. But there's more to Selia and her sister than just sheer smugness. It's like they're hiding something."

"That's what Felicity keeps saying about that guy Lantis." Lilith put in. "Maybe it's something in the cafeteria food at Alfea? All you fairies are just so paranoid."

"I'm not being paranoid. I'm telling you something's suspicious about that group."

"Just because someone challenged you to a battle face off doesn't make them suspicious." Isilee reasoned.

"What about if they have books from the restricted section of Alfea's library?" Aurora countered.

"What do you mean by that?" Lilith asked.

"I mean that Selia's been somehow getting books from the restricted section and talking to her sisters about finding leads on their objects."

"What kind of objects are we talking about?"

"I don't know, but when I came back from my date with Jayden a few weeks ago to return a skirt of Minnie's the room was torn apart."

"So?" Isilee asked unconcerned. "Maybe you just didn't realize you'd made a mess."

"That's what I thought too, but Minnie share's a room with Fee and Fee has that strange necklace." Aurora replied. "It's just too many things started happening for it not to mean something."

"All it could mean is that Selia has a thing for gaudy jewelry."

"Hold on Isi, maybe there is something to that." Lilith interrupted. "Remember that book my mom sent me?"

"Yeah, it's where you found out about that Forest of Lights." Isilee replied. "I don't see what that has to do with everything else."

"Neither do I at the moment. So let's just focus on Aurora beating Selia so they can have some peace. But then we need to do some research on this stuff."

"Can I just concentrate on surviving tomorrow?" Aurora asked concerned. "I'll study whatever you want if I live."

Isilee nodded and grinned. "No problem. Now let's get you back to Alfea so you can sleep before beating Selia to a pulp."

**_I've got a mouth like a sailor and yours is more like a Hallmark card_**

**Well this wasn't too bad, three months and finally an update. I'd like to thank all 92 of my reviewers. I believe that's some kind of record for one of my chapter stories.**


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